Words From the Hart
by 80sTVlover
Summary: Fresh into town and broke, Jennifer takes a job at Hart Industries writing the company newsletter. Her relationship with Jonathan quickly turns complicated, as she helps him see that he must come to terms with his past if they have any chance at a future.
1. Chapter 1

"I'm sorry, but your temporary assignment here has ended. Unfortunately, we don't have anything permanent for you. Here is a list of the current openings that we know of."

"Thank you".

"Jennifer, I'm really sad to see you go. I wish I had something to offer you, honest I do".

"So, do I".

Jennifer Edwards headed to her desk and packed up her things and then headed home.

She looked over the list, and called each of them.

For the next hour, all she heard was "the position has been filled".

She was on her last one, the one she wanted the least, when she finally heard "Yes, that position is still available. Fax your resume plus a writing sample by 5 p.m. today and someone will call you tomorrow".

She wasn't enthused, but she gathered the necessary materials and headed out to find a fax machine.

***Los Angeles, California***

Jonathan Hart was at his desk, trying to solve some problems.

"Ok, so let me get this straight. The board was upset because we don't have a company newsletter. So, I appointed someone to write a company newsletter. And they still don't like it?"

"No sir. It's not the content. It's more the grammatical errors, the layout mistakes, and the spelling mistakes".

"Stanley, you know I value your input, right?"

"Yes, sir".

"On a scale of 1-10, how upset is the board about this?"

"I would say a solid 7, sir. Fast approaching an 8".

"Ok fine. I'll just appoint someone else to do it".

"Sir, the board feels that it might be worth the expense to hire someone outside of the company for this".

"Fine. I'll write up a wanted ad and send it around to all the area newspapers."

"Great idea sir".

"Thank you, Stanley".

***The next day***

Jennifer Edwards was in her New York apartment.

The phone rang and she ran to get it.

"Hello?"

"Hi, this is Heather from the LA Chronicle. I'm calling for Jennifer Edwards".

"This is she".

"Hi. As I said, I'm with the LA Chronicle. And I must say, your writing sample is very impressive. How would you like to work for us?"

"Thank you. And yes, I would love to".

"Ok, so can you be here in two weeks? The job is salary, you get an hour lunch break every day, and you are expected to work no less than 6 hours per day, and no more than 10. 4 weeks vacation time per year, and you are only mandated to use 1 week per year. You are not allowed to use more than 3 weeks consecutively, unless it's for medical reasons. We provide the desk and the equipment."

"Sure, I think I can do that".

"Perfect. Consider yourself hired, and we will see you in two weeks".

They hung up and Jennifer called her dad and filled him in.

As she hung up, she started looking around the room at all she had to pack.

"California, here I come".

***Two weeks later***

Jennifer arrived in California on Saturday, driving a Uhaul. She was tired, and frazzled, but excited and hopeful.

She signed the lease on her new apartment, and then worked quickly to unload the truck.

A few hours later, she was in her apartment, surrounded by boxes and an air mattress. Void of any and all furniture.

She was living in a high-rise apartment, that had a lovely view of the beach.

She opened the French doors that led to her balcony and started opening the blinds.

The furniture she had ordered was supposed to be delivered Monday afternoon between 4 and 6. Everything was starting to come together.

She looked around and then inflated her air mattress.

"Home sweet home".

***Monday***

Jennifer woke up and got ready. Her apartment was starting to come together, as she had unpacked everything she could that didn't require furniture to hold it.

She made her way downstairs and took a cab to the Chronicle.

She walked inside and headed to the receptionist's desk.

"Hi, I'm Jennifer Edwards. I was hired to work here. I'm looking for Heather".

"Through those doors, all the way to the back on the left".

"Thank you".

Jennifer made her way through the newsroom, and was surprised that it wasn't nearly as busy as the one in New York had been.

She found herself outside Heather's office, and after taking a deep breath, she knocked.

"Come in".

She opened the door and went inside.

"Hi, I'm Jennifer Edwards, we spoke on the phone about two weeks ago".

"Hi, I've been waiting for you. Let's go to HR first, and then I'll give you a tour".

"Ok".

They walked to HR, and Heather explained the situation.

"This is Paige, she will explain the forms to you and the benefits and all that. Paige, this is Jennifer. She has been hired for the columnist position".

"Did Katherine not come and talk to you?"

"About what?"

"She hired someone for the columnist position earlier this morning".

"Oh. No, she didn't. Well, technically I hired Jennifer two weeks ago".

"Yes, but the person Katherine hired already signed the paperwork and their contract is now binding".

"Well, are there any other open positions?"

"Maintenance".

"No thank you".

Jennifer and Heather walked back to Heather's office.

"I apologize. I promise you, if another position comes available, you will be the first one called".

"Thank you. Do you know of any other papers or positions being filled in this area?"

"I don't. But if you go to reception, and then go down the hall, over on the right is a community board where people post open positions. You are more than welcome to peruse it".

"Thank you".

"I apologize again".

"I appreciate it".

Jennifer headed to the board, and literally took one of each flyer that was posted.

She headed back to her new apartment, feeling slightly defeated, but still somewhat hopeful.

***Jennifer's apartment***

Jennifer came inside and took the elevator up to her floor.

There were notices on her door that the phone company had been there to connect service and that the utilities were now in her name.

She was excited to at least have a working phone.

She unpacked the box that her phone was in and plugged it up and plopped down on the floor.

She began calling all the numbers from the flyers she had gotten.

It was another round of "I'm sorry, the position has been filled", until the last one.

"Hello, Hart Industries, how can I help you?"

"Hi. My name is Jennifer Edwards. I'm calling about the position for a staff writer that was advertised".

"Yes ma'am. You will need to submit a writing sample and a resume to reception on the ground floor and then someone will call you tomorrow to schedule an interview".

"I can do that this afternoon. Can I ask you something?"

"Certainly".

"Is there any way you can tell me if a lot of people are being considered for this position? It's just…this position is my last hope for the moment".

"Confidentially speaking, you are the only one that's applied".

"Wonderful. I will drop it off today. Thank you".

"Yes ma'am".

She hung up, got some copies together and then headed out to drop it off.

***Hart Industries***

Jennifer came inside the building, and headed to reception.

She filled out the application, attached her resume and writing sample, and then handed it in.

"Someone will call you tomorrow".

"Thank you".

She headed to the bathroom down the hall behind the receptionist desk.

When she was finished, she was washing her hands when she noticed that her hair clip was falling out.

She had no choice but to let her hair down. She finger-brushed it, and then headed out.

She was walking out the door as two gentlemen were coming in. They didn't notice her, at first.

One of them caught a whiff of her perfume, and turned to say something but she was walking too fast to talk to him.

All he could see was her long red hair and the black skirt she was wearing.

He momentarily wondered who that was, and then continued up to his office.

He thought a moment, and then contacted his security team and asked them to come to his office.

A few minutes later, James, the head of security showed up.

"Mr. Hart, you wanted to see me?"

"Yes, there was a lady downstairs this afternoon around 12:30 p.m. Had long red hair and a black skirt on. She was leaving the building as I was coming in, on the first floor. I was wondering if you could get a clear picture of her on the cameras and maybe a name?"

"I'll give it my best shot".

"Thank you".

***Across town***

Jennifer walked into A New You. The receptionist looked up.

"Hi, can I help you?"

"Yes, a cut and color please".

"Right this way, ma'am".

Jennifer followed her and then sat in the beautician's chair.

"How much are we cutting off?"

"Short. Just above my shoulders".

"And what kind of color are we doing?"

"I want to lighten the red, back to my natural shade of red".

"You got it".

By 3 p.m., Jennifer Edwards had short hair-the shortest hair she'd had since she was a freshman in high school. She loved it and was grinning from ear to ear.

"Thank you, so much".

She paid her bill and headed home.

***Later that afternoon***

James came back up to Jonathan's office.

"I'm sorry sir, I can't get a clear picture of her face. She turned something in to reception, then went to the bathroom, then hurried out of the building. Total time in the building was less than 10 minutes".

"Ok, thanks anyways James".

He gathered his things together and headed home, as he tried to put her out of his mind.

***Tuesday***

Jennifer was in her apartment. The deliverymen had been at her place till almost 10 moving in a bed, mattress and box springs, couch, recliner, two dressers, coffee table, end tables, nightstand, and small kitchen table and chairs. Now it was up to her to figure out the layouts.

She quickly figured out that what determined it was really where the phone jacks and cable jacks were located.

She was in the middle of moving her couch when the phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Hi, this is Nicole from Hart Industries. Is there anyway you would be able to come in for an interview today?"

"Absolutely".

"Perfect. How about 1 p.m.?"

"I'll be there. Where should I go when I get to Hart Industries?"

"Check in with reception, and then take the elevator to the 10th floor, to HR".

"Great. Thank you so much".

They hung up and Jennifer immediately went to pick out an outfit.

She finally decided on a hunter green sweater dress with a cowl neck, and some tall brown boots.

She curled her hair and made sure her makeup was flawless.

She went to spritz on some perfume, but realized the bottle was empty. She dug through her cosmetics bag, and finally found a bottle of a different brand, and spritzed that on.

At precisely 12:30, she headed out.

***Hart Industries***

Jennifer came in and checked in with reception, and then headed to HR.

"Hi, can I help you?"  
"Hi, I'm here to meet with Nicole. I'm Jennifer Edwards".

"Hi. Thanks for coming in. Have a seat".

She got some papers out of her desk and grabbed a pen.

"Ok, so here's the skinny. We are desperate. Your writing sample was outstanding. Your resume shows that you are beyond qualified. In fact, you are so qualified that I almost feel as if offering this job to you is an insult. So, I got the authorization to allow you to name your salary. Whatever you want, within reason, we will pay it".

Jennifer thought about it for a few moments, and then decided that it was only fair that she get at least what she would have made at the Chronicle. Thankfully, she still had that flyer in her purse.

She quickly glanced at it, wrote down the number and slid it across to Nicole.

"I tell you what-we will round this up to the next thousand. This position comes with benefits after 4 weeks, and 2 weeks of vacation for the first calendar year. Here's a schedule of the incentives and when we are closed. Your office is on the 12th floor, to the right, when you step off the elevator".

"Great, thank you. What about equipment?"

"We supply the standard office equipment-desk, chair, computer, printer. You will have access to the copy machine and the fax machine, in the copy room. Lunch is an hour, and Mr. Hart is pretty flexible about start times and end times, but everyone is generally here by 9 each day, and stays till about 5 or 6".

"I can handle that".

"Great. Sign here, initial here, and sign the last page."

Jennifer signed and initialed, and then handed it back to her.

"Welcome to Hart Industries, Miss Edwards. I can tell you are going to be a great asset to the company".


	2. Chapter 2

Jennifer went to check out her office. She started making a list of things she wanted to bring in, to make it more 'her'.

Nicole had told her to introduce herself to Deanne, Mr. Hart's secretary, so that she could find out when her first assignment was due.

She walked down the hall to Deanne's desk.

"Hi, can I help you?"

"Hi, I'm Jennifer Edwards. I was just hired to write the company's newsletters and press releases. Nicole in HR told me to talk to you".

"Oh good! Ok, so I have a stack here, just waiting for you. We run on tabs here. The red ones are due in 24 hours, the blue in 48 hours and the purple in 72 hours."

"I think I can handle that. Do I turn them into you?"

"Yes, unless they have a yellow sticker-those you will turn in to Mr. Hart, directly".

"Ok. Can I work from home, ever?"

"You will have to work that out with Mr. Hart".

Just then, Jonathan opened his office door.

"Deanne, whoever is typing the newsletter this week-have them add this to it. Front page, above the fold. And tell them not to screw it up this time. And call Andrew from accounting-I want a detailed report on everyone's expense account. We have to cut expenses now!"

Jennifer noticed he was very gruff and harsh, and hadn't even looked at her at all.

He loudly closed his door.

"And that was the man himself".

"Wow. Is he always like that?"

"He didn't use to be. But just between you and me, something shifted in him about 8 months ago, and we've been walking on eggshells more often than not. He's better first thing in the morning, and just before the end of the day. Lunch is when things get dicey".

"Thanks for the warning. So, are there templates I'm supposed to use, or do I have creative license?"

"You have creative license".

"Ok, thank you".

She took the files and headed to her office.

An hour later, she had finished everything.

She brought it all down to Deanne's desk.

"Ok, it's all finished".

Deanne's jaw dropped open.

"You're already finished?"

"Yes, I am".

"Wonderful".

She took the files into Mr. Hart's office and put them on his desk, and then returned to her own desk.

"Ok, so the final thing that needs to be typed up is this press release. Here is a past press release so that you can see what format he typically likes, but again, you still have some creative license with it."

"Got it. I'll start this now and finish it in the morning, if I don't get it finished today".

"Sounds great".

Jennifer headed back to her office, and got started on the press release. She decided to use a different layout, so that it would reduce the number of pages.

At precisely 5:30, she saved everything and then headed home for the day.

She stepped on to the elevator and just before the doors closed, Jonathan stepped on as well. He didn't even look at her, or speak. He had a file in his hand that he was reading very intently.

They both exited the elevator on floor 3, and had a silent walk to their cars in the parking garage.

As soon as Jennifer was in her car, she let out a sigh of relief, and headed home.

***Jennifer's apartment***

Jennifer had stopped and picked up groceries on her way home.

She had just gotten everything put away when the phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Jennifer, sweetheart, it's Pa. How are you?"

"I'm good. How are you?"

"Very well. How is the new job?"

"Well, there were some developments, Pa".

She filled him in and told him all about her new job at Hart Industries.

"The boss is a little difficult, but I'm keeping my head down and doing my best to not ruffle his feathers".

"That's always a good strategy, dear. Listen, you got a phone call from a doctor's office. Dr. Hyatt. The lady on the phone said that she tried to call you at your apartment in New York and it was disconnected, so she called here because I am listed as your emergency contact".

"Oh, ok. I think I had an appointment scheduled."

"Is everything alright?"

"Yes, Pa. Just a checkup".

"Very well. Well, I won't keep you, I'm sure you are busy. I love you, sweetheart".

"I love you too, Pa."

"Do you have everything you need in your new place?"

"Yes, I decided to sell my furniture with my apartment in New York, and bought all new furniture when I moved out here. Best decision I could have made, because what I had wouldn't have all fit in here".

"You always were a smart one, sweetheart. I'll talk to you soon".

"I love you, I'll call you in a few days".

They hung up and Jennifer got out a notepad and made a note to herself to find a doctor and make an appointment.

She spent the rest of the night relaxing and reading and preparing for her first full day tomorrow at Hart Industries.

***The next day***

Jennifer arrived at the office right on time, at 8:30. She took a little time to get her office setup, and then went to Deanne's desk.

"Hi, is there somewhere that you guys keep the past press releases and past newsletters?"

"Yes, in the archive room, next to the copy room".

"Wonderful. I have a project in mind I think I want to tackle."

"Be careful. Mr. Hart might not like that, especially if it's expensive. He is cracking down on expenses".

"This one will be free".

She smiled as she headed down the hall to the copy room.

Along the way, she passed a shorter, bald man with glasses. As she passed, he couldn't keep his eyes off her.

She grabbed what she needed from the archive room, and then headed back to her office.

She worked pretty steadily on her secret project till lunch and then headed to take it back to the archive room.

She came out of her office and collided, literally, with Mr. Hart".

"Oh, I'm sorry".

"It's quite alright. I'm fine".

She had dropped everything she was working on, so he stopped to help her pick it up.

"What is all this?"

"Well, it was something I was working on-"

"Who gave you permission to do this?"

"Well-"

He stood up and looked her square in the eye and pointed his finger in her face.

"Unless you have explicit permission, leave things alone!"

She couldn't remember when she had ever been spoken to so rudely.

She walked away without another word, and put what she had worked on in a box in the archive room without another word and then headed to lunch.

She avoided Mr. Hart the rest of the day, and managed to sneak out of the office just ahead of him.

She had held it in all day, but when she left work that day, she started to cry. She was standing on the corner, waiting for a cab, when he peeled out of the parking garage.

As he was waiting for the light to turn green, he looked over and noticed her crying.

While he was deciding whether or not to roll down the window and offer her a ride, the light turned, and he drove off towards home, leaving her on the street corner.

He stared in the rearview mirror as a cab picked her up, erasing his guilt about leaving her on the corner.

***Later that week***

Jennifer had avoided Mr. Hart at all costs. She completely abandoned the project she had assigned herself and only did what she was assigned to do, by him the rest of the week.

She came into the office on Friday, and had only been there about an hour, when Nicole came and knocked on her door.

"Hi, come on in".

"Hi. We have a situation".

"What's that?"

"Well, I told you that I had been given authorization to let you pick your own salary. And I had, I remember it specifically. However, Mr. Hart has forgotten that he said that to me, and is not happy with the salary you chose. He's demanding that you and I renegotiate for a lower salary, and if we can't come to terms, then he says today has to be your last day".

"That's not fair".

"I know. And I'm really sorry. But he's the boss."

Nicole sat down.

"So, let's negotiate".

"Give me a minute, I need to do some figuring".

"Fine".

Jennifer got out her calculator and did some quick adding and multiplying.

She wrote down her bottom line and slid it across to Nicole.

"This is my absolute bare minimum. However, I feel I am worth more than this, at least $5k more".

Nicole looked at her offer and then looked back at Jennifer.

"I feel like you are worth way more than this as well. However, Mr. Hart's maximum is around $7k less than this".

Jennifer thought a moment.

"That's insulting. But I need the health insurance, so I'll take it. But if something better comes along, I'm out of here".

"I don't blame you".

She signed the new paperwork.

"Ok, so your first check will reflect the first salary we agreed upon. The paychecks from here on out will reflect this amount".

"I understand".

Nicole left and Jennifer went down to the lobby and bought a couple papers and magazines from the newsstand in the lobby and then came back to her office.

She began looking through the classifieds, and put a few feelers out.

Deanne came and dumped a bunch of files on her desk, so Jennifer worked on those the rest of the day.

At 5, she gathered her things together and headed home.

***Sunday***

Jennifer was at home, organizing her cabinets when the phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Hi, this is Marcia Westbrook, I'm looking for Jennifer Edwards".

"This is she".

"Hi, I was given your number by someone at the LA Chronicle. She said that you came in for a job and that she couldn't hire you, but that your writing sample was exquisite. I'm a freelance editor, and I need someone who can write me no less than 4 and no more than 10 stories each month. I pay at least $1000 for each one".

"I would be more than happy to do that".

"Perfect! Ok, so I have several offers for stories. I need one on child abuse, one on the AIDS crisis, and one on the prison system."

"I can do all of those".

"Ok, so this is how it works. You do the story, mail it to me, and I pay you $1000. Then, if I sell the story, I get 20% and you get the rest".

"Perfect".

They went over the details and then hung up. Jennifer finished organizing her cabinets, and then started on the first article.

***Monday***

Jonathan was stuck in a never-ending meeting.

"Mr. Owens, please don't pull out of our deal. I promise you, Hart Industries has lived up to its end of the bargain".

"No, you haven't. You were supposed to tell your employees about us and publish our menu in the newsletter and you haven't done that. If I don't get customers to the food court in the lobby, I can't pay my booth rent".

"Stanley, go to the archive room and pull all the newsletters from the past 6 months".

"Yes, sir".

A few minutes later, he came back.

"Sir, which one do you want?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, there's this one, the original, or there's this new one".

"You decide, Stanley".

Stanley handed Jonathan the new one.

"See, Mr. Owens, it's right here."

He handed it to Mr. Owens, who read it.

"Ok, thank you."

"I promise, I'll send out a memo to my employees to check out your booth".

"Thank you".

Mr. Owens left, leaving just Stanley and Jonathan in the office.

"Stanley, you can take those back to the archive room".

"Yes, Mr. Hart".

He buzzed for Deanne.

"Yes, Mr. Hart?"

"Can you take a memo, please? Something along the lines of "Please make an effort to check out Mr. Owens' food cart in the lobby'. Send it out to all employees today".

"Yes sir".

Deanne jotted down the memo and took it to Jennifer.

"Hi, Mr. Hart wants this typed up and sent to all employees today".

"Got it".

She typed it up and expanded on it a little bit and then sent it out.

By the time she left that day, she had finished everything Deanne had given her plus 2 of her freelance stories.

She was just about to head out when Deanne came in and handed her a file.

"This is an emergency. Mr. Hart needs this typed up write away. His office is unlocked, he said to just put it on his desk when you are done".

"Ok, got it".

She sat back down, quickly typed up the notes he needed for his meeting in the morning. She worked on it meticulously for about an hour, and then printed it and went and put it on his desk and headed home.

***Later that night***

Trevor, the night janitor, was cleaning in Jonathan's office. He wasn't paying attention because he was busy listening to music while he cleaned.

He didn't notice his shoelace was untied, and tripped over it while he was vacuuming. He put his hands out to brace himself on the desk, and knocked over all the files in the meantime.

He hurriedly picked them up, not realizing they were now all out of order, and put them back on Jonathan's desk, and then finished cleaning the office.

***Jonathan's house***

Jonathan came in the house, and immediately poured himself a scotch.

"Hey Mr. H."

"Hey Max".

"Ok, out with it. What's her name?"

"How do you know my issue is with a her?"

"Because I know you. When it's business, you pour yourself a bourbon or a jack and coke. When it's a woman, you pour yourself a scotch."

"Well, who the hell asked you?"

"Mr. H., take it easy".

"I'm fine, Max. Just fine".

"No, you're not. Ever since you and Nikki ended your relationship, you have been rude and difficult and spring loaded for an argument. You was never that way before, Mr. H."

"Max, I told you, I'm fine. I went on a date tonight, and it didn't work out. That's all, end of story".

"Fine".

Max headed to his bedroom, leaving Jonathan alone with his thoughts.

***The next day***

"It's not here! Deanne, get in here!"

"Yes sir?"

"Where is the file with the notes I asked you to prepare?"

"Oh, I had Jennifer type it. I told her to put it on your desk when she was done".

"Get her in here!"

"Right away".

She hurriedly went down the hall and asked Jennifer to come to Jonathan's office.

"Did you prepare the file that Deanne told you was very important?"

"Yes, I did. And I placed it on your desk".

"Well, it's not here now!"

"I promise you, I placed it right there". She pointed to the pile that she had placed it in.

"Deanne, go tell Stanley to review the tapes here in my office. If she's lying, we will find out about it".

"Yes sir".

Deanne gave Jennifer a sympathetic look as she walked out.

"I am not lying. You had two stacks of files on your desk. I am telling you, I put it on the top of this stack". She pointed to the stack she had placed it on.

"And I'm telling you now, if I don't find it, the Mendelson deal goes south. If the Mendelson deal goes south, you're out of a job. I refuse to have a nitwit on my staff!"

Something in Jennifer clicked. It was like a switch had been flipped to 'on'. Everything she had been wanting to say to him just came tumbling out.

"You know something? Maybe if you were nicer to people, you would find that things would go easier in life for you. What you put out there, comes back on you tenfold. That explains why there's always a shitstorm following you wherever you go! Now I don't tend to think of myself as a nitwit, but maybe I am. I am human, and like everyone else, I make mistakes. And the biggest mistake I have ever made is coming here to work for you. However, taking your abuse for one more minute won't be another one. I quit!"

She turned and walked out of his office, and headed to hers. She grabbed her purse and headed for the elevator.

Jonathan, unfazed by her statement, kept looking through the piles.

Stanley came into Jonathan's office.

"Mr. Hart, Miss Edwards is very clearly seen putting a file on your desk last night. But that's not all".

"What do you mean, that's not all?"

"I mean, Trevor is also clearly seen on the video, knocking the piles over and then picking them up".

"Fine. Thank you, Stanley".

He continued going through the entire pile till he found the file Jennifer had put on his desk, on the bottom.

"Deanne, go get her and ask her to come in here. I should apologize".

"Yes, sir".

A few minutes later, Deanne came back.

"Well, where is she?"

"I'm sorry sir. I think she was serious about quitting. She's gone. She left the bottom drawer of her desk open and it's empty. And security confirmed that she caught a cab outside the building about 10 minutes ago. Jeremy stated that he opened the door for her and told her he would see her tomorrow and she said "No you won't. I quit".

"Ok thank you".

He sat down and sighed.


	3. Chapter 3

Jennifer came into her apartment and locked the door. She immediately went and sank into a bubble bath.

She felt horrible. She had never in her life walked out on a job. She had also never been spoken to like that.

She was the most patient person in the world, but she had her limits like everyone else. And one thing she wouldn't tolerate was being treated that way and spoken to like that.

She decided to look for another job again, something she could do just a few days a week.

While she soaked in the tub, she looked through the want ads, and circled a few things.

She resumed her bath, happy that she had made a decision.

***Two days later***

Jennifer finally decided to head to Hart Industries in the afternoon to pack up her office.

She waited till late afternoon to go there, so that she wouldn't see anyone.

It only took her an hour to pack up her office. She carried all the boxes to the elevator and just as the doors were about to close, they suddenly opened again. Jonathan walked on and hit the button for the bottom floor and then the doors closed.

They had a silent ride for a couple of floors, and then suddenly, the elevator jerked to a stop.

The lights went out, and they stopped moving. A few seconds later, the emergency lights came on.

"Well, I guess that's it".

Jennifer sat down next to her boxes.

Jonathan opened the box marked phone and tried to make a call.

"Hey, this is Mr. Hart. The elevator is stuck. Oh, I see. Ok thank you".

He turned to Jennifer.

"Power outage. Whole building is out. They will have us out of here as soon as they can".

"Thank you".

He sat down on his side of the elevator and started untying his tie.

He glanced over at her.

"What's in the boxes?"

"I cleaned out my office today".

They were both quiet for a few minutes, and then finally Jennifer spoke up.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure".

"Do you really think I mixed up the files on purpose?"

"No, I don't. And I hate that you walked out and quit. That wasn't my intention".

"Would you work for someone who was consistently rude to you and called you names?"

"Who here was rude to you and called you names?"

"You".

He looked shocked.

"I worked here for almost two weeks. In that time, you changed my salary, yelled at Deanne, yelled at me for all kinds of things, and called me a nitwit."

"I have always had an authoritarian style of leadership".

"Hitler had less of an authoritarian style of leadership than you do. People have feelings, and they make mistakes, yes. But humiliating them isn't necessary or effective".

"It wasn't my intention to humiliate you, and if it makes you feel any better, I did find the file".

"It doesn't".

"It doesn't?!"

"No, it doesn't. I knew I had placed it on your desk. I told you I had placed it on your desk. But you were still rude and nasty to me and called me a nitwit anyways".

"You're right. I apologize."

"Thank you".

"Can I ask you something?"

"Certainly".

"What did you mean by I changed your salary?"

"When I was hired here, Nicole told me that she had a conversation with you where she was given express permission to hire someone at whatever salary they chose, within reason. I was the only one who applied for the position. I told her what salary I wanted, and by the way, I based that off of fair market value for a journalist, which is what I am, plus the customary 5% increase. She agreed to it, and then came to my office a few days later and told me that you claimed you never told her that, and that we had to renegotiate for way less than I am worth".

"I don't recall the conversation with her".

"And I can understand where someone could forget a conversation. However, I shouldn't be punished for the fact that you can't recall what you told her and quite frankly, I didn't get the feeling she was lying or making it up".

"I appreciate that."

"Thank you".

Just then, the power came back on and the elevator sprang to life.

He helped her up.

"Thank you".

She picked up her purse and her boxes and as soon as the doors opened, she carried them to the entrance.

"Miss Edwards, wait".

"You can call me Jennifer".

"Ok. Jennifer, look, why don't you come back to work here? I promise to pay you the salary you requested from the beginning".

"I'm sorry, I can't. I'm a nitwit, remember? Only a nitwit would work for someone who has previously treated them so badly".

With that, she turned and walked out the door and stepped into a cab.

***The next day***

Jonathan came into the office, with donuts and muffins for everyone.

He said 'Good Morning' to everyone he passed. He smiled, he was pleasant and polite.

He got to the door of his office and then stopped at Deanne's desk.

"Thank you for everything you do here, Deanne. I really appreciate it and I appreciate you too".

He turned and went into his office.

Deanne looked at Stanley.

"What the hell just happened here?"

"I have no earthly idea".

***A month later***

Jennifer was now waiting tables 4 days a week at a seafood restaurant known as Fish n' Chips. She didn't love it, but she was good at it and made great tips.

Jonathan was still being more pleasant with everyone, and as a result, everyone at the office was happier.

He called a staff meeting, with Deanne, Stanley, and a few other executives.

"Ok, so I'm not happy with the newsletters and the press releases. Amanda is just making too many errors. Deanne, see if you can talk to her again, will you?"

"Yes, Mr. Hart".

"Stanley, the floor crew has to replace the linoleum in the offices. We are going to have to clean out the archive room. So, can you put a crew together to organize it onto pallets? If we can keep things in chronological order, and number the pallets, it should be a breeze".

"Certainly Mr. Hart".

"Thank you. That will be all. Stanley, stay behind a second, will you?"

As soon as they were alone, he looked at him.

"Anything on the secret project?"

"Nothing sir. I saw her waiting tables at Fish n' Chips, but I still can't get a phone number on her or an address. And I checked with HR. Because she worked here less than a month, her file was shredded, per your orders".

"Yeah, yeah. Ok thanks, Stanley".

He headed out of the office, leaving Jonathan alone with his thoughts.

***Across town***

Jennifer signed in when she got to her doctor's office. She never liked doctors or hospitals and was a little nervous.

She was called back right away and after the typical weight/height, blood pressure check, she was told to put a gown on and wait for the doctor.

A few minutes later, there was a knock at the door.

"Hi, I'm Dr. Susan Kendall".

"Hi, I'm Jennifer Edwards. Nice to meet you".

"So, what brings you in today?"

"Well, I just moved here from New York. And I was due for a checkup before I left, but never got around to it. I have some health conditions, so I try to stay on top of my appointments".

"I see. Well, let's do a health history, and I'll have the nurse come in and do a blood panel. And then we will do a full exam".

The nurse came in and took blood from Jennifer, while Susan asked her questions about her health history.

Once the questions were answered and the blood was taken, Jennifer laid back and Susan did a pap smear and an ultrasound.

"Ok sweetie. I'm seeing that you have a couple cysts on your ovaries. Normally I would take them off for you, but for right now, I just want to watch them. If they get bigger, or start to cause you pain, then we can talk removal".

Jennifer nodded.

"I also ran a complete STD check test, which I'm 100% positive will come back clean as a whistle, but it's just routine".

"Thank you".

They concluded the appointment, and Susan wrote her another prescription for her birth control. Just before she left the room, Susan turned to her.

"You look really familiar? How do I know you?"

"Well, let's see. I lived in New York for about 7 years, and then I moved out here almost two months ago".

"Where do you work?"

"Well, I was a journalist at The New York Times in New York. I wrote a daily column. Out here, I'm currently writing freelance and waiting tables at Fish n' Chips".

"That's where I've seen you! I read all of your columns. You are an excellent writer".

"Well, thank you".

"Call me if you have any questions. I'm always available, day or night".

"Thank you so much".

She got dressed, paid her bill and headed home.

***Later that week***

Stanley and his crew were almost finished with cleaning out the archive room.

He came to Jonathan's office to ask him a few things.

"Mr. Hart, what do you want to do with these?"

Jonathan looked them over.

"What is this?"

"Well, from what I can discern, it seems as if someone was redoing the old newsletters. I looked them over and the only things that seem to be different are the layouts, plus all the errors are corrected".

"Who did that?"

Deanne spoke up.

"Remember the redhead that worked here-Jennifer Edwards? She did it all on her own. Well, at least she started to."

"Tell me more".

"Well, not to be rude, but she mentioned that she thought it would look better if a client wanted to look through the archive room if the newsletters and the press releases were more polished. But then you bumped into her in the hallway and yelled at her, so she put everything back in the archive room and abandoned the project".

"I see. Stanley, let's keep the ones she did. And I'll find someone to finish what she started".

"Yes sir".

They left his office, and then a few minutes later, he grabbed his coat and headed out.

"I'll be out of the office for the rest of the day. See you all tomorrow".

***Fish N' Chips***

Jennifer was in the last hour of her lunch shift. She had been there all morning, and was so excited to head home and do nothing. It was supposed to storm later, and she didn't want to be waiting for a cab in the storm.

She had just bussed her last table when she saw him come in.

She tried to head to the kitchen before he saw her, but it was no use.

"Hey, Jennifer".

"Hi. How are you?"

"I'm good. Got any open tables?"

"I'm going off shift, see the hostess".

She disappeared into the kitchen, and then came out a few minutes later. She was using the computer at the bar, right next to where he was sitting.

He had ordered a scotch, and was giving the bartender a hard time.

"No, no no. Not like that. I said neat-no ice".

Jennifer felt bad for the bartender.

"Give her a break, she's doing the best she can".

"I know that. I was just telling her no ice".

Jennifer gave him a pointed look.

"Do you ever take a break from being Mr. Hart?"

"Sometimes. But I usually regret it".

She finished using the computer, and then told the bartender she was heading out.

He downed his scotch and then tossed a 20 on the bar and followed her out the door.

"Jennifer-wait. I was hoping we could talk. Can we just…go somewhere and talk?"

"Look, it's about to storm and I don't want to be standing out here in the rain, waiting on a cab".

"Can we go somewhere?"

"I can't now. I have to get home. I'm expecting a delivery. Why don't you come to my address in say…an hour?"

She quickly dug a notepad out of her purse and wrote down her address.

"Here. When you come in, go to the elevator and go upstairs to the 14th floor. I'm the second door on the right".

"Great, I'll see you in an hour".

***Jennifer's apartment***

Jennifer came in, and quickly showered and changed and then straightened up a little.

She was sitting on the couch, going through the mail, when there was a knock on the door.

She got up and opened it, and found Jonathan on the other side.

"Hi, come on in".

He had two big bags in his hand that he took to the kitchen.

"I stopped and picked up a few things".

"Like what?"

"Well for starters, these are for you".

He pulled out a dozen pink roses wrapped in pink tissue.

"You didn't have to do that, but thank you".

She put the flowers in some water, while he unpacked the rest of the bags.

"I also brought some homemade chicken noodle soup, some baguettes, and some wine. The absolute best stormy weather meal".

"I see".

"We can save this for later, though".

She took the flowers to the living room and put them on the end table next to the couch.

He followed her.

"So, you wanted to talk. So, talk".

They sat down on the couch.

"I came here to apologize. I should have never been so ugly to you, and I'm ashamed of how I acted and how awful I treated you. I cannot blame you for quitting, and if I could go back in time and change things, I would. You most certainly aren't a nitwit, and I shouldn't have said that".

"Thank you".

"I also wanted to thank you. I know that I yelled at you when I bumped into you in the hallway that day and told you to stop working on the archives. I didn't realize the value of what you were doing until this morning, and that's my fault. So, I apologize for yelling at you, and I owe you a thank you for seeing that something needed to be fixed and being willing to fix it."

"I see".

"And one last thing- please come back to Hart Industries".


	4. Chapter 4

"Come back to Hart Industries?"

"Yeah. I'll give you your old job back, at the original salary, with full benefits and an extra week of vacation".

"Can we negotiate?"

"Sure".

"Can I work from home?"

"No. We aren't set up for that".

"I see".

"So, what exactly would I be doing?"

"Same as before. Typing up the newsletter twice a month, typing up press releases".

"So, I recently started writing freelance. Which means I get to pick my own topics, for the most part. Would you be opposed to me working on those articles when I'm not typing up your newsletter, or typing up the press releases?"

"I don't suppose I would. I'm willing to give it a shot on a trial basis".

"Thank you".

"Now the biggie. If you yell and scream at me and call me names, I'm out. And I'm not coming back. I don't mean to sound like I'm threatening or anything, because I'm not. I'm serious. I will not be treated that way".

"I promise you, I won't scream and yell at you and I won't call you names".

"I appreciate it. So, I will need a week to take myself off the schedule at Fish N' Chips. So, week after next, I can come back to the office".

"That sounds great."

"Did you replace me yet?"

"Yes, and it's not going well. So, I think I'm going to move that person to a receptionist position so that you can have your old office back".

"I see".

The wind blew open her French Doors so she got up and closed them.

"What delivery are you expecting?"

"I ordered some patio furniture, and a new bed frame".

Just then, there was a knock at the door.

She went and got it.

"Hi, delivery for Jennifer Edwards".

"That's me".

"Sign here, ma'am".

She quickly signed his clipboard and then handed it back to him.

"Here you go, ma'am".

He slid a few boxes towards her.

"Wait, what is this?"

"This is your order".

"No, I ordered furniture. You know, chairs, tables, things like that."

"Ma'am, everything we sell comes disassembled. You have to put it together. Have a nice day".

Jennifer was at a loss for words.

"Well, so much for that".

Jonathan chuckled.

"Do you have a tool box?"

"Yes. In the laundry room".

She went and got it and then brought it back.

He started taking his tie off and rolling up his sleeves.

She opened the first box and then pulled it all out.

"What did you get?"

"Two chairs and a table".

"Ok perfect. So if you want, you can work on one chair and I will work on the other and we can share the tools".

"Are you sure? That you want to do this, I mean".

"Yeah, I'm sure".

"Thanks".

They worked together but separately, and got the two chairs put together in about 45 minutes.

They worked together on the table, and got it done in about 20.

"Thanks for your help".

"No problem, happy to do it".

She took the chairs and table outside and quickly set them out there since it was raining while he went and heated up the soup he had brought.

She found him in the kitchen.

"So, where did you get the soup from?"

"I was raised in an orphanage up in San Francisco. And when I was 12, I had to get a job, which was selling newspapers. I met an older guy named Max, he took me in, took me under his wing, taught me most of what I know. He makes the best chicken noodle soup. So, this is private stock".

He stirred it a little, and then got a spoonful and fed her some.

"Here, taste it".

She grabbed his hand as she tasted it.

They both felt something electric, but neither of them acknowledged it.

"Mmmm. That's amazing".

"Yeah, he's a great cook".

There were several loud claps of thunder in a row, and he could tell she was a little jumpy.

They sat down and ate their soup together.

"So, I told you about me growing up. Your turn".

"I grew up in Maryland, on a horse farm, so to speak. Palatial estate, which meant lots of room to ride".

"Does your family still live there?"

"My father does. About the time that you were getting a job selling newspapers, my mother passed away. My father sent me to boarding school shortly thereafter".

"Interesting. I used to wish I could go to boarding school".

"You did?"

"Yeah. I went to a public school, and it was hard enough with everyone knowing that I lived in an orphanage. I used to pretend it was a boarding school".

"I can understand that".

"What was boarding school like?"

"Well, I lived in a girl's dorm obviously, and the only time we really got to see the boys was at meal times and in class. They didn't have a lot of events where the girls were allowed to socialize with the boys. So, in some respects, it was like a slumber party with studying".

"Sounds fun".

"It was on some days, other days it was hard".

"So, how did you end up in California?"

"I was working for The New York Times, and my contract ended and they didn't renew me. So, I took a job here in LA at the LA Chronicle, over the phone. Sold my apartment, all my furniture, moved out here and then found out that they had hired someone else for the same position and because that person signed the paperwork first, I was SOL. So, then I applied for the job at your company".

"Oh. So, you just moved here two months ago".

"Yeah, almost two months ago".

"Interesting".

After they were finished eating, he helped her clean up the dishes.

"There's about half of the container of soup left. You can have it".

"Thanks. I love it".

There was another knock on the door.

"Oh, that must be the bedframe".

She went and answered it.

"Hi, delivery for Jennifer Edwards?"

"That's me".

"Sign here, and we'll bring it in".

She signed his clipboard and then handed it back to him.

They got out of the way and watched as the guys brought it in.

"Wait, I don't think this is right. This isn't the one I ordered".

They pulled out the paperwork.

"Ma'am, our paperwork says that you ordered the platform sleigh bed in white."

"Well, I didn't. I ordered a queen-sized platform bed with storage drawers".

"Well, you signed for this one, so this one is yours".

"Now hold on. If the lady says this is the wrong delivery, that's on you, not on her. You had her sign for it before she saw it. You can't hold her accountable for it being wrong before she realized it".

Jennifer smirked.

"Look, it's here, and we aren't allowed to take it back unless our supervisor says to. So, call him tomorrow and if he tells us to come back, we'll come back".

"Fine!"

Jennifer was less than impressed with the delivery guy's attitude.

She closed the door behind him and then headed to the bedroom.

Jonathan helped her get her mattress on the new bed and take the old bedframe apart.

"Where do you want to put this?"

"I don't really have anywhere. I guess I can slide it behind the dresser for now".

She went and started her laptop and pulled up her order.

"Damnit!"

"What is it?"

"I did order that. I must have clicked on the wrong one".

"Happens to all of us".

"I guess I can pick up a few extra shifts next week at the restaurant so I can order another one".

"Well, I guess I better go. Thanks for talking to me".

"Thank you for bringing dinner and giving me a job again and for the flowers and for helping me with the furniture deliveries".

"Don't mention it".

She felt this magnetic pull towards him, that she couldn't escape. That she didn't want to escape.

If he was being honest with himself, he felt it too.

"I'll talk to you soon".

"Sounds good".

He left, and she closed and locked the door behind him.

 _Get a grip, Jennifer. He's your boss_.

As he rode the elevator downstairs to the lobby, he kept telling himself _You can't date an employee. What would the board say? The press would have a field day if they found out_.

***Monday***

Jennifer was at the restaurant, working a double.

"Jennifer, you got another table. 42".

"Ok thanks".

She grabbed some silverware and waters and headed that way.

"Hi, I'm Jennifer, I'll be your server."

"Hi, I'm Susan. A week ago, I was your doctor".

"Oh yeah, that's right. How are you?"

"Great, how are you?"

"I'm good."

Susan placed her order, and then Jennifer went and put it in. She had 3 other tables that she was taking care of. Susan was sitting and watching her, marveling at how much energy she had.

Jennifer brought her order to her.

"Can I get you anything else?"

"I think I'm good, thanks".

Jennifer stayed busy with all her other tables, and then came back to give Susan her check.

"How was everything?"

"This salmon is amazing! I think I might bring my husband here".

"Great, glad you liked it".

Susan tipped her generously, and then headed out.

***A couple days later***

Susan and her husband Drew came in to the restaurant for dinner. Jennifer was working another double.

"Jennifer, you got another table. 27".

"Thanks".

She walked out and was glad to see it was Susan.

"Hi! Back again?"

"Yes, and this time I brought my husband, Drew".

"Hi, it's nice to meet you. I'm Jennifer".

"Nice to meet you as well".

They placed their orders and then Jennifer went and put them in.

She came back with their orders a few minutes later.

"This place is really busy tonight".

"Yeah, it is. We've been slammed all week actually".

"Have you been working every day?"

"This is my 5th double of the week".

"Well, as your customer, I will say yay, because you are my favorite waitress. As your doctor I say whoa, take care of yourself".

Jennifer chuckled.

"I promise to heed your advice".

Susan and Drew left her a big tip and waved to her as they headed out.

***Hart Industries***

Jonathan, Stanley, Deanne and a couple other executives were in his office having a planning meeting.

"We need to do a fundraiser of some sort. One that would allow us to give back to the community but would also allow us to spotlight our different companies".

"How about a fashion show?"

Nobody really liked that idea.

"What about something like a dinner banquet? Silent auction, live auction maybe, dancing, dinner buffet from lots of different restaurants. We could have it at a swanky venue, maybe even on a rooftop. All the proceeds could benefit the charity that you pick".

"I like that".

Everyone else did too.

"Ok, so it's set. Now, what about donations?"

"We have a closet full of donated items. Plus, we can put together a few people and have them call local companies and ask for donations".

"Wonderful idea! He quickly wrote down who he wanted on that committee. Deanne smiled when she realized that one of the people he had written down was the girl who had replaced Jennifer.

"Ok, let's get on this right away".

"Yes sir".

Once he was alone in his office, he picked up the phone and made a phone call.

"Hi, Susan? It's Jonathan. Listen, I need a favor. Hart Industries has an event coming up, and I will need a date. I haven't been in circulation lately, so I was wondering if you knew someone".

"Actually, I think I know the perfect person."

"Great." He gave her the details of the event, and she promised to get back to him.

For the first time in a long time, he was somewhat hopeful.


	5. Chapter 5

***A week later***

It was Jennifer's first day back at Hart Industries.

She decided to play it safe outfit wise, and wore a pair of black pants, some black heels, and a bright blue ¾ sleeve blouse.

She had gotten a few things together to put in her office, and was carrying them with her.

She came in the front door of Hart Industries, and took the elevator upstairs to her old floor.

She walked down to Deanne's desk.

"Hi. Is Mr. Hart in?"

"Yes, he is. Is he expecting you?"

"He should be. We didn't have a set time or anything".

"Let me tell him you are here".

Deanne got up and went into Jonathan's office.

"Mr. Hart, Jennifer Edwards is here."

"Send her in".

Deanne opened the door and ushered her in.

"Hi".

"Hi. I haven't spoken to your predecessor yet. So, you can put your things down in here and I'll go talk to her".

"Ok". Jennifer felt very awkward.

"Better yet, go to HR and tell them to reinstate you".

"Ok".

She carried her things with her, and headed to HR.

An hour later, she stepped off the elevator and headed back to Jonathan's office.

The girl that he was reassigning was coming out of his office in tears.

She lingered by the door a minute, because she was trying to be sensitive to her feelings.

Jonathan saw her and waved her in.

"Did HR reinstate you?"

"Yes, they did. But if I'm being honest, I feel horrible about this. She was so upset".

"She'll be fine. I gave her an easier position on a different floor. It will all be ok".

He came out from around the desk and walked her down to her office.

"I had IT give you a newer computer and this office got new carpet on Friday".

"Thank you".

She started taking her things out of her box.

She set a photo on her desk and then put a small plant on the window sill.

He picked the photo up.

"Is this your father?"

She turned to look at him.

"Yes, it is. That was taken just about 4 or 5 months ago, in London".

"Nice picture".

"Thank you".

"Alright, well Deanne has your first assignment. And I had her assign you a mailbox. I'll send her down here so she can tell you all about it".

"Thank you".

She had a smooth rest of the day, and worked pretty steadily. Deanne had her do some corrections to things the previous girl had done, and there were some new assignments as well.

She worked till 5, and then headed home.

She was just coming in her apartment when the phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Jennifer? Hi, it's Marcia. How are you?"

"I'm fine, how are you?"

"Great. Listen, I have some wonderful news for you. I just sold your last three pieces for the highest price I've ever sold anything in my entire career. And I have several other stories requested, and you are the author they are asking for".

"Really?"

"Yes, really. In fact, I'm sending your check tonight by messenger, because I simply don't trust it in the regular mail".

"Wonderful, thank you very much".

She hung up and went and ran a bubble bath.

She soaked for a long time, and really relaxed.

Just as she got out, there was a knock at the door.

"Hi, can I help you?"

"Jennifer Edwards?"

"Yes".

"Sign here".

She signed for the envelope and then he handed it to her.

"Thank you".

She closed the door, and sat down on the couch and opened it.

Enclosed was the biggest paycheck she had ever received.

She smiled a little smile, and sat down and figured out just how to spend it.

***Friday***

Jennifer was exhausted. She had worked all week, and was now working all weekend at the restaurant. She had tried to quit, but the manager begged her to stay so they eventually agreed she would only work weekends.

She was in the middle of the dinner rush, when she found out she had another table.

"18".

"Thank you".

She picked up some silverware and took it out there.

"Hi! I've been looking all over for you".

"Hi, Susan, how are you?"

"I'm great. I'm going broke from eating here every day, looking for you".

Jennifer chuckled.

"I found a daytime job. I'm on weekends only for a little bit, till they hire someone to replace me".

"Listen, I have no idea if you're interested. And if you aren't it's ok. But I have a friend, who is very handsome, well off, and fun to be with. And he needs a date to an event he's going to in a couple weeks. And he asked me to set him up with someone, and I immediately thought of you. I just know you two will hit it off".

"I'm game. But I don't really like blind dates. So, is there any way I can meet him first?"

"That's a wonderful idea. I tell you what. How about if you come to dinner at my house Monday night? I'll make it a dinner party, and I'll make sure he's in attendance".

"Perfect".

Susan wrote down her address.

"7, dressy but not formal".

"I'll be there".

Susan placed her order, and then sat back and smiled. She just knew Jonathan was going to love her.

***Monday***

Jennifer was at the office, buried under a pile of notes Jonathan wanted typed for a board meeting.

"Jennifer! Are you done yet?", he barked, as he entered her office.

"Almost".

"Well, what's the holdup?"

"What's the rush? You said this wasn't due till 5, and it's only 3:19".

"I know what I said. But I thought you would have it done by now".

"Well, I'm almost done."

She hurriedly typed and then hit print.

"Ok, see if you like that. If not, I can edit it".

They worked on it for the next half hour, and then he had Deanne make enough copies.

Just before he left her office, he turned and looked at her.

"Thank you, for doing this".

"You're welcome".

She worked till 5, and then headed home.

She took a hot shower, quickly got ready and then went downstairs and called for a cab.

***Susan's house***

Jennifer's cab dropped her off precisely at 7:05. She walked up the driveway and rang the doorbell.

Susan answered the door.

"Jennifer! You made it! Come in, come in".

"Hi".

"Here, let me take your coat".

"Oh, thank you".

"Everyone, this is Jennifer Edwards. Jennifer, this is Laura, and her husband James, and this is Bill McDowell, and his girlfriend Christy. And you remember my husband, Drew".

"Hi, it's nice to meet all of you".

"Drinks are in the sunroom, right through there. Help yourself".

"Thank you".

Jennifer disappeared into the sunroom and made herself a white wine.

A few minutes later, the doorbell rang again, and Susan went to answer it.

"Jonathan, hi! Come on in".

After she let him in, she headed to the sunroom.

"Ok Jennifer, your date is here".

"He is?"

"Yes, he is. He just got here".

Susan could see she was nervous.

"Do I look ok? How's my hair?"

"You are absolutely beautiful! You look just fine, and I just know he's going to love you".

They walked into the living room.

"Jonathan, I want you to meet someone".

He turned around.

"You?!"

"You?! I'm meeting you?"

"I guess so".

"I take it you two already know each other".

"He's my boss. The other job I told you I got-it's at his company".

"She's right. She just starting working at Hart Industries".

"Oh. Well, I will let you two sort this out".

Jonathan headed to get himself a beer and left Jennifer with Susan.

"His enthusiasm is overwhelming".

"Sweetie, he just got out of a relationship several months ago, and he hasn't really dated since then".

"What made you decide to set us up?"

"Well, he came to me and asked me to find him someone he could take to an event. And when he did, I immediately thought of you".

"I see".

They all sat down to dinner, and Jennifer went and found her place setting. She was sitting right next to Jonathan.

They had a nice dinner, but Jennifer really felt out of place. She was the only one who didn't really know everyone and she was also the newest transplant to California.

"Ok, now that we are all finished eating, I planned a few activities for us".

Everyone headed to the living room, and paired off as couples. Jonathan and Jennifer were the only ones who weren't already part of a couple.

"Ok, so the first game we are playing is Two Truths and a Lie. Each person is going to write down two things about themselves that are true and one that is a lie. And then we all get to guess which ones are true".

They all wrote down their answers, and then everyone took turns guessing which ones were true and which ones were lies. Jennifer had written down "I love to walk on the beach, my favorite dessert is strawberry shortcake, and I graduated from not one but two Ivy League schools".

Jonathan had written down "I love fast cars, my favorite side dish is creamed corn, and I've always wanted to go to Egypt".

Everyone pegged Jonathan's right away. It was no secret that he hates cooked vegetables.

Jennifer's was the hardest though.

"I think her lie is the one about the dessert".

"No, I think that one is true. I think it's the one about where she went to school".

Everyone gave their opinion, and then it came down to Jonathan.

"Well, you don't strike me as someone who hates the beach. You also don't strike me as someone who would attend an Ivy League school. So, I'm going with the dessert".

"What about me makes you think I didn't attend an Ivy League school?"

"Well, you know how the Ivy League students are. They are super smart, and-"

"Oh, so you're saying I'm not smart?"

"No, not exactly".

"You know what? I'll just go ahead and tell you the truth. I did in fact, attend an Ivy League school. And then, I attended another one. I graduated from Gresham Hall in the top 5 in my class, with a 4.02 GPA. Then I went to Columbia, where I doubled majored in Linguistics and Communications, and also where I made the dean's list every single semester, taking 18 hours each time plus working full time each week. After I graduated, I went to Brown University for my Masters, where I majored in Journalism, maintained a full-time job, and a 4.0 GPA, also making the Dean's list each quarter. I then graduated from Brown and became the first woman in the history of the Journalism program to get hired on at The New York Times and promoted to columnist at the same time. So, I'm sorry if I don't appear to be unintelligent. Any time you want to match wits with me, you're on".

She got up and headed to the kitchen to get a drink.

Susan followed her.

"Sweetie, we didn't mean to upset you".

"You didn't upset me at all. I apologize for my outburst. Can I borrow your phone? I need to call a cab".

"You took a cab all the way out here?"

"I had to. I don't have a car".

"Of course you can. But you're welcome to stay".

"I don't think I can face him. Work tomorrow is going to be hard enough".

"I don't think he meant to say you were unintelligent. I think he meant that you aren't one of those people that's so smart they don't know how to interact with others".

"That's not much better".

"I know. Just give him another chance".

"I'll think about it".

Jennifer called for a cab, and then went with Susan into the living room.

"I apologize for my outburst. It was nice to meet you all".

She walked to the front door.

"Jennifer-wait".

She turned around.

Jonathan was coming towards her.

"Don't go. Can we go outside and talk?"

"I called for a cab. You have till it gets here".

"Fine".

They walked outside, and stood in the driveway.

"I apologize for insinuating that you aren't intelligent. I didn't mean that. I was trying to say something different and my words didn't come out right, and I'm really sorry".

"What were you trying to say?"

"I was trying to say that there is an image that Ivy League schools portray, and that is that their students are the super smart, astro-physicist, created Chemistry type of people. And they have this certain type of personality. And you don't have that. You know how to talk to people, you care about clothes and current events. Things like that".

"I see".

"If I didn't think you were intelligent, I wouldn't have hired you to work for me. And I not only hired you once, I hired you twice".

"Think about why you had to hire me back the second time".

"Ok, that was a bad example. I admit it".

"Thank you".

"I apologize. I should have been more clear".

"Thank you. I appreciate it".

"Now, what do you say we go back inside and have some of your favorite dessert and then I'll give you a ride home?"

"I can't go back in there. They are probably all talking about how ridiculous I acted".

"I promise you, they aren't".

She hesitated.

"I've known them all for a long time. They are good people".

"Ok, fine".

They walked back inside and found everyone talking in the living room.

"Susan, can Jennifer get another drink and some dessert please?"

"Of course".

They walked over towards the others.

Everyone started apologizing to her.

"It's ok, let's just forget it. Susan, can I please your phone again? Jonathan offered to take me home".

"Certainly".

They walked into the kitchen together and a few minutes later, she came and sat by Jonathan again.

They all started asking her questions, trying to get to know her.

"So, what do you do in your spare time?"

"I don't really have any. I work at Hart Industries, with Jonathan, and I write freelance, mostly at night. And on the weekends, I wait tables".

"So, you never have a day off?"

"Not usually. I like to keep busy".

"So, when do you see your friends?"

"I have some friends back east, but I don't really have any friends out here".

"Now you do. You have us, and you are welcome here, anytime".

"Thank you, that's very sweet".

After they finished dessert, everyone started to go.

They all told Jennifer they hoped to see her again.

She and Jonathan walked to the door.

"Thank you again for having me, and I promise to behave next time".

"Nonsense. Everything is fine".

Jonathan walked her to his car, and opened the door for her.

He slid into the driver's seat and they headed towards her apartment building.

"How about a game of twenty questions?"

"Sure, why not?"

"What's your favorite color?"

"Pink. Yours?"

"Blue. What's your favorite season?"

"Hmmm. That's a tough one. I guess…fall. What's yours?"

"I'm a boat man. I love the summer time. Back massage or foot massage?"

"Oh, both. Can't go wrong with either one. You?"

"Same. Beer or wine?"

"Beer, typically. Wine if I'm feeling fancy. You?"

"Beer, if I'm eating crab legs. White wine any other time. What's your favorite sport to watch?"

"I love watching baseball and football. I also really enjoy going to a basketball game. What about you?"

"I'm ok with basketball, and baseball. Not a football fan".

"How can you not be a football fan?"

"Very easy. It's a barbaric sport. My absolute favorite sport to go watch in person is polo".

"You mean the game with the horses and the mallets?"

"Yeah. I take it you don't watch much?"

"I've played it once, or twice". He smirked at her.

"I see".

"What's your favorite flower?"

"I love anything pink, but my absolute favorite flower would have to be a Foxglove. You?"

"I think Carnations are pretty. What's your death row meal?"

"Grilled Lobster tail, shrimp scampi, a fresh salad with lots of veggies, and nice cold glass or two of White Cherry Zinfandel, and a slice of my favorite dessert-devil's food cake. You?"

"Tomahawk ribeye, truffle butter, some of Max's loaded fries, and a very cold Dos Equis".

"Interesting. What are Max's loaded fries?"

"Max takes regular fries, and smothers them in melted cheese, gravy, some of his special sauce, which is cream cheese, sour cream, mayo and Dijon mustard mixed together, and then he tops it with bacon, scallions, diced onions, diced tomatoes, and ranch dressing. And then he layers it with more gravy, shredded cheese and drizzles of worchestershire sauce on top".

"Oh my god".

"Sounds good, right?"

"Sure, if you like listening to your arteries clog. That's a heart attack on a plate".

He chuckled.

"We only make them about once a year".

"It will take you that long to get all the grease out of your body from eating that".

They pulled up to her apartment building and he insisted on walking her in.

She handed him her keys, and he unlocked the door.

"Well, thanks again for the ride".

"No problem. Need one to work in the morning?"

"Thanks, but I have a cab pass. I plan on buying a car as soon as I can find the time to swing by the dealership".

"So, I guess I'll see you at the office tomorrow".

"I guess so".

"Goodnight, Jennifer".

He leaned forward and kissed her cheek.

"Goodnight".


	6. Chapter 6

***Tuesday***

Jennifer got to the office, right on time. She already had a stack of files on her desk, waiting to be typed and formatted.

Jonathan came in shortly after her, and popped his head into her office.

"Hey, have you typed the press release on the Peterson and Waters deal yet?"

"Hi. Not yet, it's next in the stack".

"Great. When you do, bring it to me. I have some new ideas and I want to look over it and see if I can make it work with what I'm thinking".

"Sure".

She quickly typed the press release and then took it to him.

He looked it over.

"Ok, so here's what I'm thinking. Instead of releasing a statement to the press, we have a press conference, outside in the courtyard. And then once that's done, then we put the press release on our website. I am thinking of adding a press release tab to the website. And we can upload them, in chronological order, so that anyone can review them at any time".

"Great idea".

"So, if I have IT build the website and give you admin privileges, can you put the press releases on the website?"

"Sure, I can do that".

"Great. I'll have them get right on it, and maybe we can start this afternoon".

"I'll be in my office".

She smiled at him and then headed back to her office and started working through the rest of the files.

Around 3, he popped his head into her office.

"Meeting in my office, in 5".

"Coming".

She grabbed her water bottle and her laptop, and headed to his office.

They worked steadily on the website for a couple hours.

He checked his watch and saw that it was almost 6.

"Wow. We've been working so hard we didn't realize it was past quitting time".

"Wow, you're right. I'll just get out of your hair".

"You don't have to do that. How about we order dinner, and work a little longer?"

"How much do we have left to do?"

"I think we can probably finish this tonight or tomorrow, for sure".

"Sounds good".

They ordered in, and then got back to work.

"This Peterson deal-what does it pertain to?"

"He owns a couple of hotels in Vegas, Lake Tahoe, and Phoenix. He wants me to purchase them. I haven't decided if I'm going to keep them or flip them".

"Have you seen them in person?"

"No, I haven't. I should probably take a weekend trip to at least one of them and check them out".

"Wouldn't be a bad idea".

They finally finished around 8.

"Ok, so since you stayed late, feel free to take tomorrow morning off. You earned it".

"Thank you. I'll take you up on that".

They closed up shop and then headed to the lobby together.

She had the security guard hail her a cab.

"Goodnight, Mr. Hart. Thanks for the morning off tomorrow".

"Goodnight. You earned it".

She sank into a bubble bath as soon as she got home. As she fell into bed that night, she kept seeing his perfect smile flash before her eyes.

***The Next Day***

Jennifer ran an errand before coming to the office. She walked in right at noon.

She had a stack of files on her desk and immediately got started.

Jonathan popped his head in around 2.

"Hey, got a minute?"

"Sure".

"So, I was thinking about something you said last night. About me checking out the hotels. And I figured, they might recognize me, so I can't go. How would you like to go to Vegas to check out the hotel there? I'll spring for 2 nights in the hotel, all the meals, and I'll even throw in some spending money".

"Sure. Just let me call and get myself taken off the schedule at the restaurant. When were you thinking?"

"This weekend would be ideal. Next weekend would work too".

"I'll see what I can do".

"Thanks".

As soon as he left her office, Jennifer called the restaurant and asked them to take her off the schedule for the weekend.

They weren't happy, but they agreed.

"Thank you".

She hung up and walked down to Jonathan's office.

"Hi. This weekend is a go".

"Perfect. So, I need you to check out the room, in terms of cleanliness, amenities, comfort. Ask the front desk staff or the housekeeping staff if the rooms are all the same. Break into the mini bar, and see if it's worth it. I especially want to know if they restock it each day. Also, check out any other amenities that the hotel offers, plus order room service while you are there at least once for breakfast and once for dinner, if you can. If you have time, check out the gift shop, and see what the quality of items offered are".

"Got it".

"We can talk more in detail about it when you get back".

"Sure".

She walked back to her office and continued to work on the files.

She didn't stop till after 5.

She had just stepped into the elevator when Jonathan jumped in after her.

They took the elevator downstairs to the lobby.

He thought she was going out the front door, but she surprised him by going to the parking garage.

"Do you need a ride home?"

"No, actually. I bought a car this morning."

They kept walking and then she stopped at a shiny silver BMW convertible.

"Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow".

"This is your car?!"

"Yes, it is".

"I guess waiting tables pays more than I thought".

"It doesn't. But selling 4 articles to 4 magazines does".

"You sold 4 articles? That's great. Congratulations".

"Thank you".

"Well, have a good night, see you tomorrow".

"Thanks, you too".

***Thursday***

Jennifer got to the office around 8:45, and headed up to her office.

She heard him before she could see him.

"What the hell you mean our deal is off?! You can't do that! My company put in all the work to close the deal, and now we have nothing to show for it!"

Deanne was looking very uncomfortable.

Jennifer needed to speak with him about whether or not he would let her leave after lunch on Friday, but she was afraid to go in there.

"When he calms down, tell him I need to speak with him".

"Sure. But it might be a while".

Just then, Jonathan opened the door.

"Deanne, call Stanley Friesen and ask him to come see me when he gets a chance please".

"Yes, Mr. Hart".

He noticed Jennifer.

"Did you need something?"

"Yeah, I wanted to speak with you".

"Fine, now's just as good a time as any".

They walked into his office.

"I was just going to ask you if I could leave around 1 today for the Vegas trip".

"Yeah, yeah. Go ahead. Did you type the Thompson file yet?"

"Not yet, but I can before I leave".

"Well get to it!"

She was very taken aback, and the look on her face showed it.

"Yes sir".

She headed to her office, and quickly typed up the Thompson file. As soon as it was done, she brought it back to his office and wordlessly dropped it on his desk.

She turned to leave but he got up and caught her.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you earlier. I was frustrated, but not at you. I apologize".

"Thank you".

"Look, I think I'm going to go to Vegas too. But I'll be in disguise. So, if you see me in the hotel, pretend to not recognize me".

"Fine".

She headed back to her office, worked till 1, and then went home.

She was on the road to Vegas by 2.

***Vegas***

She checked in to her hotel, and then headed up to her room.

It was nice, but not top of the line. The bathroom was large and spacious, and the bed appeared to be comfy when she sat on it.

She decided to head to dinner in the restaurant downstairs.

She had a nice meal, and then played the slots for a few minutes.

Around 10, she headed back up to her room.

She had just settled in when there was a knock at the door.

She got up and cautiously answered it.

It was Jonathan.

"What are you doing here?"

"Can I come in?"

"Sure".

She let him in and then quickly put her robe on, before heading to the bathroom to change into some lounging clothes.

"Nice room".

"Yeah, I thought so too. Where's your disguise?"

"My room is right across the hall, so I dashed over here without it".

"So, what are your thoughts so far?"

"Well, as far as rooms go, this isn't bad. There are a few changes I would make, but they are minor".

"Like what?"

"Like, I would put extra pillows in the closet, and I would add a lamp on the nightstand, on both sides."

"Good ideas. Have you eaten yet?"

"Yes, I had a salad downstairs at the restaurant".

"Are you up to trying out room service with me?"

"Sure".

They called and placed their order and then he broke into the mini bar.

"Your mini bar is way better than mine".

"Really?"

"Yeah, mine is empty."

They divided the contents on the bed, and then looked at the price list.

"I hope you don't mind me saying so, but fifteen dollars for a bag of nuts is insane".

"I agree".

He tested the tv, and wasn't impressed with the quality of the signal.

"So, what's your room like?"

"The mattress is lumpy and the bathroom is small, and the tv doesn't work at all".

"So, either you shouldn't buy this hotel or you should buy it and totally renovate it".

"Just what I'm thinking".

Their room service arrived and he paid for it and then rolled the cart inside.

Jonathan had ordered a burger and fries, and Jennifer had ordered a grilled chicken sandwich with a side of sliced fruit. They both ordered sodas.

He pulled the cover off their meals, and found two pepperoni pizzas that were still frozen in the middle.

"I have an idea. But it will mean we have to walk around the hotel and inspect it. Will you do that with me?"

"Sure".

"Get dressed, I'm going to get my disguise and I'll be back in 10 minutes".

"Ok".

She hurriedly threw on her earlier outfit, and threw her hair up in a ponytail.

She had just slipped her shoes on when he came back.

He was wearing a fake mustache, some tinted glasses, a gold chain necklace, and had popped the collar on his shirt.

She tried not to laugh, but it was no use.

"What?"

"You look like a low-level pimp".

"Oh? Help a guy out, would you?"

She fixed his collar, but unbuttoned a couple of his top buttons. She removed his necklace, and then rolled up his sleeves just a little bit.

"Ok, that's a little better. Now what are we doing?"

"We are just going to walk around and visually inspect the rest of the hotel".

"Got it".

They headed to the elevator. It was slow and noisy.

They got to the lobby and checked out the gift shop, and then walked through the casino for a bit, and then walked back through the lobby.

He found the door marked pool. They walked outside and found the pool to have virtually no furniture, and the pool itself was drained and empty.

They were just about to walk back upstairs when an employee came up to them.

"Can I help you?"

"Oh, no thanks. Just showing the wife around our hotel". He wrapped his arm around Jennifer.

Jennifer played along and put her hand on his chest.

"Well, this area of the hotel is closed, I'm sorry".

"Oh, that's ok. We were leaving anyways".

They headed back to the elevator, and took it back to Jennifer's room.

"So, this place is a dump".

"Yep".

She sat down on the end of the bed, and as soon as she did, it folded up on her.

He quickly unfolded it and helped her up.

"Ok, that's it. I'm checking out".

"I don't blame you".

She grabbed her things and started throwing them in her suitcase. "I'll grab my things and be back in a few minutes".

They met again outside her door, and took the elevator to the lobby. He paid their bill, and they headed to the parking lot.

He helped her with her bag and loaded it into her trunk for her.

"Ok, so I ruined this weekend for you. I realize that. Allow me to make it up to you".

"What did you have in mind?"

"Follow me".

She nodded. She followed him in her car to the nicest hotel on the strip, and parked next to him.

She got out and walked over to him.

"So, I was thinking. Our weekend at the other place was a bust. What if we live it up here this weekend and just enjoy ourselves?"

"Are you sure? This place looks awfully expensive".

"I'm positive".

They got their bags, and headed to the front desk.

"Hi, we would like two rooms please".

"I don't have two rooms. But I do have a two room, one bath suite".

"We'll take it".

Jonathan signed them in, and then they headed to the elevator.

Their room was about 5 times nicer than the room at the previous hotel.

"This is so nice".

"Yeah, it is".

They took their bags to the bedroom, and then Jennifer quickly changed into a pair of pajamas.

She came out to get a bottle of water from the table.

"So, what do you want to do tomorrow?"

"I think I might lie by the pool for a bit. I also thought about checking out the spa."

"There's a show tomorrow night, here at the hotel. Cirque de Soleil".

"Oh! I've always wanted to see them".

"Yeah, should be pretty good".

She opened the water bottle and took a sip.

"Well, I think I'm headed to bed. Goodnight".

"Night".

As Jonathan headed to bed also, he suddenly found himself so excited for tomorrow.


	7. Chapter 7

***Saturday***

Jennifer woke up around 8, and quickly showered and got dressed.

She came out to find Jonathan sitting on the couch drinking coffee.

"Morning".

"Morning. I ordered us some breakfast, it should be here soon. And I made coffee in the kitchenette".

"Oh wonderful".

She went and poured a cup and then came and sat down on the other end of the couch.

They quietly watched tv and drank coffee and then their breakfast arrived.

"I ordered each of us the sampler. Pancakes, bacon, sausage, eggs, and fruit. I wasn't sure what you wanted".

"That sounds amazing".

She pulled the coffee table closer to the couch, and they ate there.

After they were finished, she put their plates on the cart and rolled it to the hallway.

"Well, I think I'm going to go lie by the pool".

"Would you mind if I joined you?"

"Not at all".

She went and changed into her suit, and then put a coverup on, and some flip flops.

She packed a bag with sunscreen and a book and then grabbed her sunglasses.

Jonathan was in the living room, in his swimsuit and t-shirt and flip flops.

They headed down to the lobby, grabbed some towels and then made their way to the pool.

They selected two chairs, and got all situated. Jennifer took her coverup off, revealing a shimmery zebra print string bikini.

' _Good God, she's so beautiful'_.

The hotel had a sunscreen applicator stand, so Jennifer went to use that, and then came back.

She noticed he had taken his t-shirt off. She had to look away or else she wouldn't be able to stop staring at his chest and abs.

Jonathan ordered them a couple drinks from the poolside waiter.

They laid out for a few hours, and had some nice, easy, conversation. After lunch, they decided to head inside.

"I think I'm going to check out the spa".

"I think I might check out the golf course".

"There's a golf course here?"

"Yeah, it's called SkyGolf. It's on the roof".

"That sounds interesting. And incredibly dangerous".

"I'll keep you updated".

They both changed and headed out.

Jennifer spent a wonderful afternoon getting a massage, a body wrap and a pedicure.

Jonathan enjoyed playing SkyGolf so much, he played 4 times in a row.

They were both back in the room around dinner time.

Jennifer was sitting on the couch, reading a magazine.

"Hi, have a nice time at the spa?"

"The best. How was SkyGolf?"

"So fun. I made us reservations to do it again later tonight after the show".

"What show?"

"I got us tickets to Cirque De Soleil".

"What?!"

He pulled them out of his pocket.

"Oh, I'm so excited! Thank you!"

She jumped up and hugged him.

"I better go get ready".

She dashed off to her room and started getting ready.

They decided to grab dinner before the show in the burger joint downstairs.

Jennifer insisted on paying, and Jonathan finally let her.

"You got the tickets, so dinner is on me".

They headed to the show afterwards and Jennifer was impressed with their seats.

"We are so close!"

He noticed that she was mesmerized for the entire show and never took her eyes off the performers.

They made their way up to SkyGolf after the show was over, and got in line.

"So, how does this work?"

"Well, it's digitized. So, you have a tee, and the ball and the club. But you have a screen, and the screen shows the picture of an actual hole on a golf course."

"That sounds neat".

"It really is".

They stepped up and got their clubs and golf balls.

"Ok, so we have to alternate turns".

"Got it".

He went first, and did really well.

She went next and didn't do as well.

"Here, let me help you".

He wrapped his arms around her arms and helped her swing.

She was so distracted by how good it felt to have his arms around her, that she just let him take over most of the swing.

She got the hang of it, and they played a few holes.

" _Ladies and gentlemen, SkyGolf is now closed due to inclement weather. We apologize for any inconvenience"._

"Damn! Well, I guess you win".

They made their way to the exit and got a refund for the rest of the course and then headed inside just as it started to pour.

They headed back to their room.

Jennifer changed into pajama pants and a tank top and had just come into the living room when the power went out.

"Oh darn!"

"Hang on, I saw some candles earlier, and a flashlight".

He got up and found the flashlight and then found some candles and matches.

Pretty soon, they were sitting in the candlelight in the living room.

"You were pretty good at golf".

"Thanks. I try to play each week if I can".

"It's paying off".

"You weren't so bad yourself".

"Oh please. I couldn't hit the broad side of a barn from 4 feet away".

He chuckled.

"So, what you're saying is golf wasn't your sport in high school?"

"Nothing involved throwing a ball was my sport. I was pretty good at Polo, but that was about it".

She was quiet for a moment.

"What did you play in high school?"

"Kids in orphanages don't get to play organized sports".

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't-"

"It's ok. Part of the territory".

There was a loud crack of thunder.

"Ugh. I hate storms".

He got up and broke into the mini bar.

"We could play a game if you want".

"Like what?"

"How about…Never Have I Ever?"

"How do you play that?"

"Well, when it's your turn, you say something that you've never done. It could be anything. And if the other person hasn't done it, they say me too. But if they have done it, they take a shot".

"How are we supposed to know that? It's dark".

"Oh yeah. Well, we can just say 'shot', before we take one".

"Ok".

He set them up some shots, while she opened the popcorn and nuts.

"Ok, I'll go first. Never have I ever been stranded on the side of the road".

"Nope. Never have I ever cheated on a test".

She took a shot.

"You?"

"Yep. High school. Chemistry. I couldn't remember the formulas, so I wrote them on my fingers".

"How did you do?"

"I didn't get caught cheating, but I didn't learn the formulas either. I got a d in chem lab in college when I mistakenly blew up the lab".

He chuckled.

"Never have I ever gone hunting".

"Nope. Never have I ever shoplifted".

He took a shot.

"You didn't?!"

"Once, when I was 15. Max bailed me out and set me straight".

They continued for about an hour and both were pretty tipsy afterwards.

"Never have I ever dated someone I work with".

"Me too. Never have I ever kissed on the first date".

"Well, let me be the first".

He grabbed her face and kissed her so passionately it left her breathless.

"I'd…better get to bed", she stammered.

She picked up one of the candles and took it with her to her room.

"Goodnight".

She quickly closed the door, leaving him confused in the living room.

***Sunday***

Jennifer woke up around 7:30, and showered and dressed.

She put on a strapless purple top, some distressed jean shorts and some black flip flops.

She came out of her room, and found Jonathan on the couch watching tv.

He turned the volume down.

"Morning".

"Morning".

"How'd you sleep?"

"Good".

"I ordered us brunch".

"What did you order?"

"Two basic brunch platters. Steak, eggs, shrimp and grits and English muffins. Fresh squeezed OJ and a pot of coffee".

"Sounds yummy. What time did the power come back on?"

"Not sure. it was on when I woke up this morning".

They had a quiet breakfast, and then Jennifer went to pack her bag.

Jonathan did the same and they met in the living room.

They headed to the lobby to check out. Jennifer tried to chip in for the room, but he wouldn't let her.

They headed to the parking lot and he helped her load her bag into the trunk.

"Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow at the office".

"Jennifer, wait. About last night-"

"We don't have to talk about that. It's ok".

He thought about it, and then decided he didn't want to argue with her, so he just nodded.

"See you tomorrow".

They both got in their cars and headed back to LA.

***Monday***

Jennifer got to the office around 9, and immediately got to work.

Jonathan was in meetings all morning, so they didn't see each other till the afternoon.

When they did, it was awkward, to say the least.

They both avoided each other till it was time to go home, and then Jonathan got the nerve up to go talk to her.

By the time he got to the parking garage, she was driving away.

***Thursday***

Jonathan and Jennifer hadn't spoken all week.

Jennifer wondered if they would ever speak again.

He called a staff meeting for 1 p.m. in his office.

They spoke about a few deals coming up and he asked for everyone to buckle down so they could get the deals done.

He adjourned the meeting and everyone got up to leave.

"Jennifer, can you type up this press release asap, please?"

"Ok".

She took it from him.

"What's wrong?"

She sighed.

"Nothing".

"Obviously something is".

"I don't want to talk about it".

"Jennifer, if something is wrong, let's talk about it".

"Fine, you want to talk, let's talk. There isn't something wrong with me, there's something wrong with you".

"Oh? What is that?"

"That's just it. I have no clue what is wrong with you, which leads me to believe something is wrong with me".

"I'm sorry, I'm not following you".

"We had a great weekend in Vegas, you kissed me, and then ever since we got back, you've acted like I don't exist. So, let's just lay it out on the table. What's wrong with me that makes you want to avoid me?"

"It's not that. We did have a good time. But everything was alcohol induced".

"Oh, so you're saying you had to be drunk to be nice to me? Nice, real nice".

"That's not what I'm saying".

"You know what? I don't want to do this anymore. Your issues with me are yours to deal with, not mine."

"Jennifer-"

She left his office before he could say anything further.

She went and typed up the press release and then put it in his box. After she had typed up everything else, she gathered her things together and headed home.

***Jonathan***

Jonathan felt horrible about his conversation with Jennifer. He headed home and went inside and headed straight for the bar.

Max knew as soon as he saw him pouring a glass, that it was complicated.

"What's the problem, Mr. H.?"

"There's a lady that I'm interested in. But I'm trying to force myself to not be interested in her at all".

"That don't sound like you".

"She works for me. I don't think it's right for me to date someone in the office. But the thing is-she's one of the best employees we've ever had. I don't want to lose her at the office just so we can start a relationship, but I don't feel right about compromising my principles either".

"Have you tried telling her how you feel?"

"Yeah. It didn't go well".

"It's time for a new plan."

"I agree".

***Later that night***

Jennifer was at her apartment, working on an article when there was a knock at the door.

She went to open it, and found Susan on the other side.

"Hi, what are you doing here?"

"Can I come in? I just need to talk to you for a little bit".

"Sure".

"I thought it might be easier if we had cocktails, so I brought some wine with me".

"Great. I have a few bottles already open and cold".

Jennifer poured them each a glass and then they went to the living room. She brought the bottle with her.

"Wait a second".

She slammed her wine glass, and then poured another.

"Ok. So, I'm guessing my test results came back and it's not good".

"No-"

"It's cancer, right? I have cancer".

"No, this isn't about your test results. You've gotten all your test results already".

"Ok".

"Jonathan called me. He said you two had an argument and he feels pretty horrible about it. So, he asked me to come talk to you."

"I see".

"I asked him to give me some indication of what happened, so that I would know what to say to you, but he insisted that you needed to tell me that".

"Ok, so let me start from the beginning. I was hired to write his newsletters and his press releases. And I noticed that pretty much anytime he would speak to anyone at the office, he wasn't speaking. He was yelling, he was rude, he was very harsh. People at the office seem to stay away from him more than they engage with him. So, he screamed at me one time too many, and I quit. I walked out and quit. I've never walked out on a job in my life, but I refuse to be treated that way. So, then he came to the restaurant and sat at the bar one day. I was going off shift, and I heard him speaking pretty much in the same manner to the bartender. I asked him if he ever stopped being "Mr. Hart", and he said he sometimes did, but he usually regretted it. So, then he came here and brought me dinner and helped me with a few things, and begged me to come back to work. The person that he hired to replace me was awful. So, we negotiated, and I told him in no uncertain terms would I be treated that way again. He agreed to it, and I went back to work. And then he came to me and asked me to work on a special project with him, and he asked me to go to Vegas and scout out a hotel he was going to purchase. I did, and he showed up. Long story short, the hotel was a dump and we decided to not stay there one more moment, so we left and he got us a two-room suite at a much nicer hotel. We had a great time-we laid by the pool, I went to the spa, he played golf, he got us tickets to Cirque De Soleil which I've been wanting to see for years, we had nice meals, it was so fun. And then he kissed me, and it was great. And I freaked out, and headed to my room because I knew if I didn't, I wouldn't be able to control myself. He is the absolute best kisser I've ever kissed, and believe me, I've had plenty of kisses, both good and bad. So, Sunday, we checked out, and he wanted to talk about it in the parking lot but I wouldn't let him because I didn't want it to be awkward. And then all this week at work, he's been like he was in the beginning-rude, yelling, screaming, the whole bit. We tried to talk today at work, and he insinuated that he only kissed me because he had been drinking. That was so hurtful that I got up and left. I don't know that I can continue to work for him".

"I can't speak to him being rude, as I've never witnessed that. I also can't speak to how well he kisses, because I have never experienced that with him either. I can speak to the fact that he feels really badly about your argument, and he wants to make it right. And I think you're right-maybe you two would work out best if you weren't working together".

"Well, the ball's in his court, so if he wants to talk, he knows where to find me".

"He came by my house about an hour ago. He asked me to come talk to you, and see if you would consider having dinner with him".

"Yeah, I would".

"Great. I'm supposed to give you this". She handed her an envelope.

Jennifer opened it.

" _You are cordially invited to dinner at Los Angeles' fanciest restaurant, Chez Hart, Saturday at 8. Transportation will be provided"._

"Well, this is sweet, but I'm scheduled to work at the restaurant on Saturday".

Susan patted her hand.

"Sweetie, I have it on good authority that Jonathan called and got your boss to give you the night off".

"How do you know he did that?"

"Because I was sitting right next to him when he did".

"Oh".

"Well, I better go. He said you are welcome to call him if you want to, but he won't hold it against you if you don't".

"I don't know about that…"

"I told him to not expect the phone call. Women aren't wired the same way men are. If we wanted to talk to you on the phone, we would just tell you to come over".

"That's true. Well, thank you for coming, and thanks for bringing the wine".

"No problem".

Jennifer saw her out, and then locked the door behind her.

She went and changed into a nightgown and then climbed into bed.

As she drifted off to sleep, she kept wondering what dinner with Jonathan would be like.


	8. Chapter 8

***Saturday***

Jennifer and Jonathan hadn't spoken since their conversation in his office on Thursday.

She enjoyed a rare Saturday off from the restaurant and then got dressed for dinner with him. She chose a green sleeveless shift dress, and some black heels.

She was ready to walk out the door at 7:30 when she heard a knock on the door.

She opened it and found a man on the other side.

"Hi, I'm here to pick up a Jennifer Edwards".

"That's me".

"Whenever you're ready, ma'am".

She locked the door, and they walked to the elevator and then out the front doors of her building.

There was a long white limousine parked out front.

The limo driver opened the door for her and she slid into the back seat.

They had a nice, quiet drive, and then arrived at a house in a very posh neighborhood of Los Angeles. The house was modern looking, spread out and spacious. Jennifer could see lots of windows and plush greenery.

Her door was opened and Jonathan was standing there with a bouquet of flowers in his hand, filled with stargazer lilies, white gladiolus, pink foxglove, and new white roses.

"Hi, thanks for coming".

"Thanks for having me".

"These are for you. We can put them in some water while you're here".

"Thank you, they're beautiful".

They walked up the walkway to the front door and went inside.

The inside was impeccably decorated very minimally, with nice leather furniture.

"Dinner will be served on the patio. Would you like a drink first?"

"Yes, please".

They walked over to the bar, and he pulled out a bottle of her favorite wine.

"Where did you get that?"

"I had it flown in, just for you."

"All the way from Australia?"

"Yes. Well, no, I mean, there is a vineyard in Maine that sells it. So, I had it flown in from there, and there's a case of it in the garage you can take home with you".

"I'm so touched. And excited. I haven't been able to find this in years".

He poured her a glass and then slid it to her.

"Thank you".

They took their drinks outside to the patio.

"What a lovely view".

"Oh, it gets even more gorgeous in the mornings".

"I bet".

They made their way over to the patio table and sat down.

The door to the patio from the kitchen opened.

"Jennifer, this is Max, the guy who took me in as a teenager. He's also the head chef here at Chez Hart. Max, this is Jennifer Edwards".

"Hi, it's lovely to meet you".

"Nice to meet you also".

"What do we have for dinner, Max?"

"This is a Max Brennan original recipe. Call it a twist on an old classic. This is bacon crusted stuffed chicken parmesan. I also made a chopped salad and some roasted veggies".

"Everything smells wonderful, Max".

"Thank you for cooking for us".

"My pleasure. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a date with the ace of spades".

"Have fun, Max".

They made their plates and then started to eat. Jennifer was very impressed with the chicken parmesan dish. She also loved the avocado basil salad dressing.

"This is delicious".

"Yeah, it is. I keep telling Max he should write a cookbook, but he won't. Says he doesn't want the notoriety".

"He was so sweet to go to all this trouble just so you and I could have dinner".

"Max is wonderful. I wouldn't be the person I am today without him, that's for sure".

They continued eating, and he poured her some more wine.

"So, I asked you to dinner, because I wanted to apologize for our conversation the other day. I shouldn't have been rude to you and I feel horrible that I was."

"I see".

"Also, I wanted to explain some things to you".

"Like what?"

"Like the fact that I'm torn, because if I'm being honest with myself, I have very deep feelings for you that aren't going away. And I don't want them to go away, and I don't want you to go away. But I don't date people I work with. I imagine if I were to do that, everyone at the office would be mad at me because I've never been a big fan of office relationships and I've always discouraged my employees from dating each other. A happy office leads to a happy, thriving business. I don't want to lose everything I've worked for, but I don't want to lose you either".

She put her hand on his.

"Susan and I talked this out, a little bit. I think it's best if I quit the office".

"Why?"

"Because with the way you've been acting towards me at the office, I can't see us having any kind of relationship if I stay. And you just said you have feelings for me, but you don't date employees".

"That's why I'm torn. I think you and I would be really great together".

She looked away.

"What is it?"

"Vegas aside, you and I can barely have a conversation together without it getting heated. Do you really want a relationship like that?"

"No, I don't. But I think once we are finally in a relationship together, we will communicate better".

"I don't know…"

They took their dishes into the kitchen, and she helped him rinse them and put them away.

After they were finished, he took her hand and led her to the living room.

"So, I realize that I never gave you a tour of the house. Obviously, you've seen the kitchen. This is the living room. Max's room is down the hall off the kitchen. I have a study over here".

He flipped on a light and let her see it, and then flipped the light off again.

"And down this hall-"

"Wait a minute. If this is one of those 'get me into bed' tours-"

"It's not, I promise. Down this hall, is 2 guest rooms, a guest bath and my bedroom and bath".

"Very lovely".

"Thank you".

They walked back to the living room.

He started them a fire in the fireplace and they leaned up against the bar.

He grabbed her hands and pulled them to his chest.

"I'm absolutely crazy about you. I hope you realize that".

"I do".

"So, I told you what I wanted, what do you want?"

"Well, I did enjoy spending time with you in Vegas. I would be open to spending more time with you. And I must say, you and I definitely communicate out of the office better than we do in it".

"I don't want you to quit, though. You are one of the most efficient employees we have ever had".

"So, let's compromise. What if we gave it a shot, but we also kept it a secret?"

"I like that idea. But there's a hitch. The press loves to print pictures of me, all the time. Especially if I'm with a date".

"So, we just won't be seen in public. We can do private dinners here, or at my place. We don't have to go out in public. And we could take trips, if we wanted. I mean, we had a great time in Vegas".

"If we did keep it a secret, we would have to act like nothing's changed at the office".

"I'm willing to give it a shot, on a trial basis".

"Define your conditions".

"Just a couple weeks. If I don't like it, or you don't like it, we can renegotiate."

"I can agree to that".

"And I'm willing to quit the restaurant so that we can have weekends".

"I don't want to cut into your income".

"You won't. I can pick up Monday nights".

"So, we're doing this? In secret, I mean?"

"Yeah, we're doing this in secret".

"Good".

He grabbed her face and kissed her, long and slow, for several minutes. His fingers played with her hair, as she wrapped her arms around him.

He finally broke the kiss and just stared into her eyes.

"You are so beautiful".

"Thank you".

He took her hand and led her to the couch, and they sat down and snuggled up.

"So, what are our secret rendezvous' going to look like?"

"Well, like you said, we could do dinners here, or at your place. We could drive up the coast and meet for dinner at out of the way places. We could take trips, and we could also spend the night in a motel or a nice hotel here in town if we wanted".

"I'm liking the sound of this, Mr. Hart".

"And you can call me Jonathan, and save Mr. Hart for the office".

"We could also have secret rendezvous meetings in your office".

"That one's a little risky, but it sounds very exciting".

"So, where are we going to go on a trip?"

"Hmm…Hawaii is close. Close as in not a long flight. So is Seattle. Then again, winter is coming, so we could go to Denver or Aspen, rent a cabin."

"I don't know how to ski".

"We don't have to leave the cabin".

"I like the way you think".

She leaned over and kissed him.

"So, let's get the awkward questions out of the way. How long has it been since you dated anyone seriously?"

"8 months, almost 9. You?"

"About the same time frame. How long has it been since you dated someone not seriously?"

"Well, I took someone to a charity event a couple months ago, but we literally only shared 1 dance and she hardly said two words to me all night".

"That sounds interesting".

"It wasn't, believe me".

She was quiet for a few minutes.

Finally, she turned to him.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure".

"Did you resolve the issues you had with me?"

"I didn't have issues with you. I had issues with not being able to kiss you every time I saw you, and knowing that we couldn't just be in a relationship since you work for me".

"So, why didn't you just say that?"

"I was trying to. I just got so frustrated, and I was already upset because the Walton deal had fallen through. As far as bad days go, it was one of the worst".

"I wish you had come after me. We could have talked about it".

"Well, now that we are secretly together, we can both commit to communicating better".

"I think that's a wonderful idea".

She leaned over and kissed him a few times.

"So, typically, weekends are defined as Friday night, Saturdays, and Sundays. And I know that we have gotten sort of a late start, but we can make this our first official weekend if we want to".

"Make me an offer".

"Well, we could find somewhere nice and cozy and spend it just the two of us till tomorrow night sometime. Or we could just meet tomorrow for a little while somewhere out of the way".

"I like the way you think".

She climbed into his lap and kissed him.

He started to run his hands up the back of her dress, looking for the buttons or the zipper.

"Nuuhhh uhhh".

She broke the kiss.

"I think we need to make sure of some things before we do…other things".

"Jennifer, I'll do whatever you want to do. And we don't have to do anything you don't want to do. But I promise you, I'm clean. I regularly get the test and I had it about a month ago".

"Really? That's great. I had the test a few weeks ago too".

"What made you have the test?"

"Well, I moved here the week before I had a doctor's appointment in New York. So, I found a doctor and went and had my appointment, and then because I was a new patient, they did the whole workup".

"Is everything alright?"

She leaned forward and kissed him.

"Some things aren't great, but are stable. Overall, I'm fine".

"Good".

He kissed her again.

"I still don't want to get pregnant, though. I mean, I'm only 28, I have plenty of time to be a mom".

"I don't want a kid right now either".

"You would be wonderful with a child".

"So will you, when the time comes".

They spent a few minutes just kissing and snuggling, and then they decided to go watch a movie at her house.

He left Max a note, and then they headed out.

She laced her fingers through his in the car, and snuggled as close to him as she could.

They had a nice drive to her apartment, and then parked.

"You can park right next to me-I get two spots".

He parked, and they headed inside.

She quickly changed into some pajama shorts and a tank top, and then went and started putting the wine he had gotten her in her wine rack and a few bottles in the fridge.

She found him in the living room, kicking his shoes off.

They stretched out on her couch and selected a movie.

"You know, it's crazy to me how we almost didn't meet".

"What do you mean?"

"There was this lady at Hart Industries, who was going out of the building one day as I was going in. She had long red hair, and she wore the sweetest smelling perfume. I did everything I could to try and find her. I pulled the security tapes, I put Stanley on it. Nothing. The next day, I met you. If I had met her, you and I might not be here right now".

"Jonathan, I had long hair till the day before I met you".

"Really? Well, women change their hair all the time".

She leaned over and picked up a picture off the end table and handed it to him.

She climbed off the couch and went and found the empty bottle of perfume and brought it back to him.

She spritzed some on her wrist.

"Is this it?"

He smelled her wrist and then had a shocked look on his face.

"Yeah, it is".

"Guess we just missed each other".

She went and put the perfume bottle back in the bathroom and then came back to the couch.

"Why didn't you put anymore on?"

"The bottle was empty. I haven't been able to find that scent since it ran out".

"What's it called?"

"Summer Dream".

She settled onto his chest, and started scratching it.

"So, what was it?"

"What was what?"

"What was it that made you realize you liked me?"

"The day we worked on the project. But Vegas sealed the deal".

"How sweet".

She sat up and took a sip of water and then turned out the lights.

"Are you comfortable?"

"I'm fine".

She settled back onto his shoulder and he embraced her.

"Now we can pick up where we left off in Vegas".

He took her in his arms and kissed her passionately.

"Wait! Stop, please".

"What's Wrong?"


	9. Chapter 9

"This is so strange…I keep thinking you are about to ask me to type something".

He cracked up.

"I promise, I won't".

"I'm sorry."

"It's ok".

He kissed her again, nice and slow, and Jennifer could literally see rockets and fireworks. She had never in her life been kissed like that by anyone else.

They basically made out for the duration of the movie.

He could tell she was getting tired close to midnight, so he decided to head home.

"You can stay if you want".

"I don't want to make you uncomfortable".

"I promise you won't".

She got up and locked the door, and then they headed to bed. She got some extra pillows out of the closet, and an extra blanket for him.

They climbed into bed, and she settled on his chest.

He had a few ideas in mind of how he wanted the night to go. However, all of that went out the window, because Jennifer fell asleep on his chest just a few minutes after they climbed into bed.

He kissed her cheek and stroked her hair.

"Sweet dreams, baby".

***Sunday***

It was storming like crazy when Jonathan woke up. He eased Jennifer off of him, snuck out of the bedroom, and headed to the kitchen. He started coffee, and then called a restaurant and placed a delivery order for breakfast.

He sat out on the couch while he waited for it to arrive.

When it got there, he got it all ready and then took it to the bedroom.

"Morning".

She woke up and looked at him.

"Morning".

"Breakfast in bed".

"How sweet! Did you make all this?"

"No, I ordered it. Have you ever been to Broad Street Deli?"

"No, I haven't".

"Well, this is from them. I ordered us both some fresh strawberry pancakes, a side of bacon, some sliced fruit, and some fresh squeezed orange juice. I did make the coffee".

She took a sip.

"Great job".

He gingerly climbed into bed next to her and got situated and then put his tray in his lap.

"These pancakes are out of this world".

"Oh, yeah. I think they have won awards for their pancakes".

They had a nice, cozy breakfast in bed, and then tried to figure out what they wanted to do the rest of the day.

After they were both showered and dressed, they decided to relax and watch a movie in the living room.

They got all cozy under a blanket, and started the movie.

About halfway through, the screen went black, and then a big puff of smoke came out of her tv.

"Well, I guess that's it".

"Hang on, let me look at it".

He went over and unplugged it and turned it around.

"Do you have a screwdriver?"

"Yes, I do".

She got up and got her tool box.

"Ok, I have one that looks like a street and one that looks like a hill".

Jonathan was confused.

She showed him what she meant.

"See the hump? It looks like a hill. And this one is flat, like a street".

He chuckled.

"It's not shaped like a hill. It's shaped like a cross. And this one isn't shaped like a street, it's shaped like a line. They are made to fit the different types of screws".

She looked at him, all embarrassed.

"You probably think I'm a moron, don't you?"

"On the contrary. I think you are absolutely darling".

He gave her a sweet kiss and then took the back of her tv off.

He looked at everything for about 20 minutes and then looked at her.

"It's no use, darling. This tv is toast. The insides are all melted and the picture tube is completely blown out".

"Well, thanks for trying. Do you know somewhere that fixes tv's?"

"Yes, I do. But it would cost you more to fix it than it would to buy a new one".

"I see. Do you know where I can recycle this one?"

"Yeah. There's a shop near my house. I'll drop it off for you".

"Thank you".

She sat down and got out the shopping ads in the paper.

She found a nice one she wanted, and circled it.

She got up and headed to the kitchen, and pulled a large jar out of a cabinet.

"Ok, let's see if I have enough here".

The jar was filled with cash.

"What is all that?"

"This jar is my tip jar, from the restaurant."

"Darling, there's a new invention, and maybe you've heard of it. It's called a bank. You take your money to them, and they hold it for you, so that if someone finds out you are keeping money in a jar like this in your apartment, they can't break in here and put a gun to your head".

"Ha ha. I do put money in the bank, for your information. This is just my stash of cash for when I need gas or when I need something and don't want to put it on my credit card".

She started counting the bills and organizing them.

She didn't have enough.

"Maybe in a couple of shifts, I will".

They decided to be lazy for the rest of the day, and then Jonathan headed home around dinner time.

"Now, remember, you can't let on that you like me at the office. I draw the line at calling me a nitwit, but you can yell at me a little".

"Do you have an email besides your work email?"

"Yeah. It's SweetSue1102 ".

"Perfect. Check it when you get to the office in the morning".

"I will".

She leaned up to kiss him a few times.

"Think we can pull this off?"

"Guess we'll find out".

He kissed her again, and then headed out.

Jennifer went and took a long bubble bath. She had just climbed into bed when the phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Hey it's me".

"Hi handsome".

"Just wanted to tell you goodnight and sweet dreams, darling."

"This bed is so lonely without you".

"Yeah, mine's not much fun at the moment either."

"Well, maybe I can stop by on my way home from the office tomorrow night".

"It will have to be much later than that. I'm working the dinner shift at the restaurant".

"I hate that you have to work so much".

"Well, I don't have to, really. It's just….that's the fastest way to make cash, because the patrons tip so well. And I promised them I would stay on till they had someone to replace me".

"So how many nights a week are you working?"

"Just Mondays for now".

"What time do you get finished?"

"10. Should be home around 10:30".

"Well, that's perfect. Tomorrow I have a board meeting, so I can stay at the office till 10, and then head to your house for a few minutes".

"That sounds great."

They chatted a few more minutes and then hung up.

"Goodnight beautiful".

"Goodnight, handsome".

She hung up and fell asleep, dreaming of Jonathan the whole night.

***Monday***

Jennifer got to the office at 9. She went straight to her office, and turned on her computer.

While it was booting up, she went to the break room and got some coffee and then filled her water bottle.

She went back to her office and signed into her email.

 **Morning. Want to be on the decorating committee to decorate the lobby for holidays?**

She typed back her response.

 **Morning. And yes, I can do that**.

A few seconds later, another message popped up.

 **Great. At 9:20 take the elevator to the 2** **nd** **floor, then take the stairs to the 4** **th** **floor. When you exit the 4** **th** **floor stairwell, go to the left. There's a closet down the hall marked 'storage'. Go in there, and wait for me. I'll meet you there.**

A slow smile spread across her face as she typed back.

 **See you there**.

Precisely at 9:18, she headed to the elevator. It was all the way at the lobby, so she just took the stairs to the 4th floor, and headed to the storage closet.

She started looking around and then a few seconds later, the door opened and Jonathan came in.

Her face brightened up when she saw him.

"Hi".

"Hi".

He shut the door and then stepped forward and grabbed her and kissed her.

She nibbled on his lower lip for a minute and then started running her fingers through his hair.

He broke the kiss a few minutes later.

"We should make this a daily meeting".

She rested her forehead against his.

"We can't. People might get suspicious".

"Probably so".

"So, what do you want in the lobby, Mr. Hart?"

"Oh, just a tree at the back, maybe a couple wreaths on the walls. Nothing that would impede cameras or security viewpoints".

"Got it. Garland across reception desk ok?"

"Sure".

"Perfect. Give me a deadline".

"I'll do better than that. I'll give you and your assistant a deadline. Your assistant is Lexie the receptionist."

"Thank you".

"Now, I blocked off 25 minutes for this meeting, and we have about 18 minutes left. How do you think we should spend it?"

"I have a few ideas".

"Yeah? Me too".

He leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers, causing her to lose all sense of her sensibilities.

They left the storage room separately and Jennifer headed to the lobby to talk to Lexie.

When she got back up to her office, she had an email.

 **Our closet meetings might just be my favorite part of the day.**

She chuckled and then typed back.

 **Not mine. Mine is you and me, at my house, tonight, on your way home**.

A few seconds later, another message.

 **You got me. You win. Was Lexie receptive to your ideas?**

She took a few minutes to type her response back.

 **Yes, she was. I gave her complete and total creative freedom on the tree and ornament placement. I just told her to make sure it had tons of lights and was shiny and sparkly**.

She got to work typing the files for the day. Just before lunch, she emailed him.

 **Do we have time to do lunch at my place?**

A few seconds later, he wrote back.

 **Have a lunch conference call. Only scheduled to last till 1. I'll email you when it's over**.

She ran downstairs and got lunch from the café in the lobby and then came back to her desk.

Around 1:15, her email dinged.

 **Conference call ran long, sorry. Headed to the next meeting. I'll see you tonight at your place when you get off work.**

She quickly typed her response.

 **Sounds great. I'll put a key under my mat. You can come when you want. Sorry the tv is out of commission, but I have a nice stereo. See you tonight.**

***Later that night***

Jennifer left the office at 4:30, and headed straight to Fish N' Chips. They were slammed, and also short two waitresses, so she was more than busy all night. She finally got to leave at 10:10, and headed straight home.

She smiled as soon as she saw Jonathan's car in the parking lot.

She came in the door, and found him in the kitchen.

"Hi beautiful".

"Hi handsome. How long have you been here?"

"Only about 25 minutes. I ordered a pizza and it just arrived. Want a piece?"

"Gimme".

He fed her a bite and then she kissed him and headed to change clothes.

She came back to the living room in some pajama shorts and a t-shirt, with some muscle rub in her hand.

He was sitting on the couch eating pizza.

"I made you a plate".

"Thank you honey".

After they ate, she took their dishes to the kitchen and loaded the dishwasher and then came back to the couch. She started rubbing in the muscle rub.

"Here, let me".

She handed him the tube and swung her feet into his lap.

He started rubbing her feet for her.

"Oh god, that feels wonderful".

She laid back and got comfy and tried to enjoy her foot massage.

"Hard shift?"

"The hardest. We were slammed all night long. Two people didn't show up. I didn't get a break all night. But, I made at least a couple hundred in tips, so I guess that's a bonus".

"When do you work again?"

"I'm only on Mondays from now on".

"Good".

He really rubbed her knots out and made her feet feel better.

Just as he finished, he looked over and saw that she was asleep.

He gently eased her feet off his lap and then scooped her up and carried her to bed.

He tucked her in and then leaned down to kiss her and she woke up.

"What? No, don't go".

"Ok, I'll stay a little bit".

He climbed onto the bed next to her, and they embraced.

"Did I fall asleep on you? I'm sorry".

"It's ok, you're tired. I get it".

"It was kind of sexy sneaking around with you today".

"Yeah, it was kind of fun, wasn't it?"

"I just hate I had to work tonight. We could have had more time together if I hadn't".

"We always have tomorrow night".

"And the next, and the next…"

"Yep, that's true".

"We never decided if we are going away together and where we are going".

"How about Vail?"

"Sounds fun to me. Want me to make some reservations?"

"That's ok. I'll take care of it, and I'll let you know when we are going".

She nodded.

"Can you stay till I fall asleep?"

"Sure".

He gave her a few kisses and then held her till she fell asleep.

***Thursday***

Jennifer and Jonathan were at the office; she in her office, he in his.

She sent him a quick email.

 **Dinner tonight?**

A few minutes later he typed back.

 **My 1 p.m. meeting got moved to 5. Not sure how long it will go. I'll keep you updated. You can always go to my house and get comfy if you want, and wait for me**.

She thought about it and responded.

 **I guess I can do that. Can I pick us up anything?**

He responded a few minutes later.

 **I'll call you when I leave here and pick us up whatever you want.**

She got to work on the files he wanted typed, and then worked on her freelance article.

The next time she looked up, it was 5 p.m.

She sent him a quick email.

 **Still here. I'll wait for you. I can work on my articles in the meantime.**

She opened her door, worked another hour, and then around 6:15, she heard loud voices and raised tempers.

"You'll regret this! You should really listen to me, I know what I'm talking about!"

She got up and walked down the hall, and saw Jonathan at his desk, while the other meeting attendees were headed to the elevator.

She walked into his office.

"Hey, everything ok?"

"Oh yeah. Everything's just great! I've spent all this money and time putting this deal together, and they balk at the last minute and just walk out! I swear, I'm never doing business with any of them ever again!"

He got up and started pacing.

She stepped in front of him and put her hands on his chest.

"Hey. It's me. You don't have to yell and scream at me. I understand that you are frustrated. But I was asking you because I wanted to talk with you, not because I wanted to yell with you".

He took a deep breath and put his hands on her shoulders.

"I'm sorry. You're right. This isn't your fault".

She leaned up and kissed him and ran her hand along his cheek.

He sat back down at his desk.

"I just feel so used. I mean, they wanted me to stop production on a product, so I did. They wanted me to bankroll their company's insurance platform before the deal was signed, I did. I was trying to be the nice guy for once. And now I found out, they never intended to sign the deal at all".

"I'm sorry, darling. I really am".

He took her hand and kissed the back of it.

"You ready to get out of here?"

"Yes".

"Great. I'm going to go get my things. I'll meet you at the elevator".

She hurried to her office and gathered her things together and then met him at the elevator.

They rode the elevator to the bottom and then headed to the parking garage.

"I'm going to swing by my house, change clothes super fast and then I'll head to yours".

"What do you want for dinner?"

"I'm not picky. Just a salad and if you get meat-get chicken".

"You got it".


	10. Chapter 10

***Jonathan's House***

Jennifer pulled up to Jonathan's house and parked on the driveway.

She went and rang the doorbell and Jonathan let her in.

"Great timing. I just got back myself. I'm going to go change out of these clothes. Food's in the kitchen".

She went and poured him a scotch and herself a glass of wine and then headed to the kitchen.

Max had left a note that he was gone to a poker game.

Jonathan appeared in the kitchen a few minutes later.

She handed him his scotch.

"You read my mind".

He drank his scotch and then kissed her a few times.

They ate together on the patio, and then went inside and curled up on the couch.

She sort of wedged herself behind him and started rubbing his shoulders.

"Ohhhhhhhhh".

"Feel good?"

"You have no idea".

He turned the tv on, while she massaged him.

"So, are we going somewhere this weekend?"

"We were going to. But now that the deal fell through, I don't think I should go where I can't be reached."

"Ok, so we can just stay here in town and be together here at your house, or at mine".

"Jennifer, I'm probably going to have to work all weekend. This weekend might not work for us".

"Oh. Well alright".

She finished massaging him and then he leaned back against her. They quietly watched tv for a while.

She got up to go to the bathroom and then came back. He pulled her into his lap.

"Don't be mad about this weekend".

"I'm not".

"I promise, I want to spend time with you. But there's just so much on me right now".

"I understand, Jonathan. It's ok".

She climbed off his lap, grabbed her wine glass and headed to the kitchen.

She rinsed her glass and put it in the sink, and then came back to the living room.

"Walk me out, darling?"

"Sure".

They walked to the car and he embraced her.

"I hate to see you leave mad, Jennifer."

"I'm not mad."

"So, why are you going?"

"Because I have things to do".

"Alright. Well drive safely".

She leaned up and kissed him.

He opened the door for her.

"Call me when you get home?"

She nodded.

He gave her a final kiss and then she got in the car and drove away.

***Jennifer's apartment***

Jennifer came inside, ran a bubble bath, and then grabbed the phone and climbed in.

She dialed Jonathan's number, and then leaned back.

"Hello?"

"Hey. I'm home".

"I'm sorry I wasn't more attentive tonight. This failed deal really has me thrown for a loop".

"I understand, it's ok".

"Can we try again for another night?"

"Sure".

"Sweet dreams, darling. I'll see you in the morning".

"Goodnight, Jonathan".

***The next day***

Jennifer got to the office, and went straight to her office. She went and filled her water bottle and her coffee cup, and then went back to her desk. She got started on everything that was due that day, and just tuned out everything else. She turned on her radio, to kill the silence.

A couple hours later, the receptionist rang her desk.

"Hello, this is Jennifer Edwards".

"Hi, this is Lexie. You have a delivery at reception. Is it ok if I send him up?"

"Certainly. Tell him 12th floor, 1st door on the right".

"Yes ma'am".

A few minutes later, a young man was bringing in the biggest bouquet of flowers she had ever seen.

"Hi, where would you like these?"

"Oh, just right here on the desk is fine".

She signed his clipboard and then he left.

She looked at the bouquet. It was about 50 white fresh roses along with 50 pink foxgloves in the most stunning crystal vase she had ever seen.

She grabbed the card and pulled them off the holder.

She realized there were two cards.

 _This vase is authentic Waterford Crystal. Hand wash only._

'Interesting'.

She opened the other card.

 _Still working on Colorado. Email date?_

She sat down and opened her email.

 **So, I guess you're mad at me. I promise I won't work late tonight and I promise we will take a trip as soon as we can. Hope you love the flowers**.

She typed her response.

 **I'm not mad, I'm disappointed. But I'm dealing with it. I've also been busy working on the files and my article. And yes, I love the flowers. Thank you. What did you mean by email date?**

A few minutes later he had replied.

 **What I meant was, I want nothing more than to run into your office and grab you and kiss you. But I can't. I want to have lunch with you today, but we might get seen. So, instead of a lunch date, we have to have an email date**.

She took a sip of water and then typed her response.

 **Is there anywhere in this building that doesn't have cameras? Also, you could…if you wanted…have Deanne call me and ask me to come to your office with a specific file and then we can shut the door and you can tell Deanne that we need to not be disturbed…just a thought.**

A few minutes later, he replied.

 **There's a vacant office on the 7** **th** **floor. And the stairwell doesn't have cameras. Darling, I'm going to bring something to your office. If anyone asks us about it, I'm helping you with a computer problem. See you in a minute.**

She signed out of her email and moved her flowers to her filing cabinet behind her desk.

A few seconds later, he came in her office.

He cracked the door behind him.

"Hi".

"Hi".

He sat down at her desk, and quickly downloaded something.

"What's that?"

"A chat window. This way we don't have to keep emailing back and forth and refreshing".

"Great idea".

She took his hand and led him to the corner of her office in the alcove away from the door and the window.

She leaned up and gave him a quick kiss.

"Want to have dinner tonight?"

"Sure. I can pick something up for us and then bring it to your house around 7".

"Perfect".

She kissed him once more and then he headed back to his office.

They chatted here and there while they worked the rest of the day, and then Jennifer sent him a final message.

 **Headed home. Key will be under the mat. Come on in when you get there. Muah.**

***Jennifer's apartment***

Jennifer had just changed into some comfy clothes and poured herself a glass of wine when she heard Jonathan coming in.

"Hey, it's me".

"Hi".

She went to him and kissed him a few times.

"Dinner is being delivered".

"Great. I picked up some of your beer at the store on my way home. Want one?"

"Yes, please".

She got him one and opened it, and then they went and cuddled up on the couch.

"I ordered a new tv this afternoon. It should be here in about an hour".

"Perfect".

"So did you decide for sure if you are working all weekend?"

"Yeah, I am. I think I'm going to work late Friday night, and then work several hours on Saturday. Depending on how well that turns out, I might be able to not work on Sunday".

"Well, I signed up for a late bar shift Friday night, and a double wait shift on Saturday."

"You working Sunday?"

"Not at the moment".

"Well, then what if I meet you here Saturday night after you get off at the restaurant, and I'll make sure that I can take off on Sunday and we can spend Sunday together?"

"I'd love that".

She leaned over and kissed him several times.

"I know you're disappointed we can't go away this weekend, but I promise I'm working on it".

"Jonathan, I'm fine. Honest. And since I'm working three shifts, that means 3x the tips, that can be spending money for when we do get away".

"Want to be my non-date next weekend to the Hart Industries Charity Dance?"

"Define non-date".

"Well, we would arrive separately, share a few dances, sit separately, and leave separately and meet up somewhere private afterwards".

"Interesting. Is it formal?"

"Yes, it is".

"So, if I'm your non-date, who is your…date-date?"

"I won't have one".

"Good answer".

"Think you can take off at the restaurant?"

"Well, yeah. I mean, I already am off on the weekends. If I want to work a shift, I just call and see what's available".

There was a knock at the door, so she got up and got it.

"Hi, delivery for a Jennifer Edwards?"

"That's me".

"Sign here, ma'am".

She signed his clipboard and then he brought in her tv box.

While the door was open, another young man appeared.

"Hi, delivery for Jonathan from La Scala?"

"That's me".

He took their food to the kitchen, while she was opening the tv box.

"Darling, can you come help me lift this, please?"

"Sure".

They lifted the tv up on to her tv stand and got it in place. She got it all hooked up and then tried it out.

It worked perfectly. She was so excited.

They decided to pick a movie and eat dinner in front of the tv.

She took their trash to the kitchen when they were finished, and then came back and sat with him.

When the movie was over, they went to the bedroom to cuddle for a bit.

He kicked his shoes off and stretched out on the bed next to her.

"Darling, can I ask you something?"

"Certainly".

"Are you seeing anyone else?"

"No. Are you?"

"No".

"So, how long do you want to hide us?"

"I don't know, really. Ideally, it would have to be until you don't work for me anymore".

"I just want to scream to the world that you're my boyfriend, but I can't. And that makes it exciting, and fun, but it's so hard when I see you at work and I can't just touch you".

"I know. it's hard for me too".

"It's more exciting than fun, though".

"Yeah, it is, isn't it?"

He gave her a slow, romantic, tender kiss that made her toes curl.

She broke the kiss and started kissing his neck.

"Want to stay the night?"

"Yes, but I shouldn't".

"What do you mean?"

"Baby, if I were to just come over, eat dinner with you, have sex with you and then go home, then it would seem like all we have is a physical relationship. I don't want us to only have a physical relationship. I want us to be together when it's right for us, and when we can take our time and make it perfect, because you deserve that".

"Darling, no matter when we are together, I'm sure it will be perfect".

"I am too. That's why I don't think it should be tonight".

"Fine".

She eased out of his arms and headed to the kitchen.

He came and found her a few minutes later drinking water.

He went to wrap his arms around her but she moved away.

"Jennifer, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings".

"You didn't".

She set her glass down and then leaned up and opened the cabinet and got out some headache medicine.

She quickly took two pills and then put the bottle back.

"I have a headache and I'm going to bed. You can see yourself out. Thanks again for dinner".

She headed to the bedroom without another word.

He picked up his jacket and saw himself out.

***The next day***

Jennifer was at Hart Industries by 8:30 and had finished all the files Deanne gave her by 10.

She went and turned them in and then went back to her office.

She worked on her article the rest of the day and actually got it finished.

Around 4:30 the chat window he had installed on her computer popped up.

 **Can you please bring the Westchester Electronics file to my office please?**

She quickly typed back.

 **I finished all the files this morning and turned them all into Deanne. If you want one, have her bring it to you.**

He typed back a few minutes later.

 **Can you come to my office please? I have a new file that I need to go over with you.**

She typed back **Fine**.

She got up and went to his office and closed the door behind her.

"Have a seat please".

"No thank you. I prefer to stand. I won't be here long".

"Fine".

"The file, Mr. Hart."

"What about it?"

"That's the only thing you and I are going to discuss. That is why you wanted me to come in here, isn't it?"

"Fine. You got me. There's no file. But I do want to talk to you".

"Well, unless it's business related, I don't want to talk to you".

"5 minutes. That's all I'm asking".

She thought about it and decided that it would just be easier to let him talk to her so she could go back to her office. Just because he talked to her didn't mean things had to change.

"Fine. Talk. But I'm holding you to your 5 minutes".

He went and locked the door and then came back and leaned against the desk.

"I'm sorry I hurt your feelings. That wasn't my intentions at all. I was trying to say that you deserve more than what it would have been last night. I never meant to imply that I didn't want to be with you".

"Funny, you weren't acting like you did want to either. This was a mistake. You and I just aren't going to work out".

"Jennifer, come on. We said we would give it a shot. What happened to that?"

"We did give it a shot. And you promised me we would go out of town and we would take trips and we would spend our weekends together. And we spend one weekend together and nothing happened, and then all of a sudden you're not taking me on a trip and you're working all weekend and then you turn me down and say I deserve better. And you know what? You're right. I do".

"Ok, wait a minute. I realize that it looks bad when you lay it all out like that. I promise you, it's not really like that".

"Oh? Are you questioning my intelligence again?"

"No, I'm not. I'm saying I still want to take you on trips, and I still want to spend weekends with you, but some things came up. I sent you flowers telling you I was still working on Colorado, doesn't that count for anything?"

"I don't need a trip to Colorado, Jonathan. I was in your arms last night, I was awake and I was willing, and you humiliated me. You made me feel like I'm nothing, because you didn't want me."

"I do want you. I've been telling you I want you".

"Then why did you leave last night?"

"Because. The last thing in the world I would ever do to you is to put you at risk. And as crazy as I am about you, I know that if you and I were together, once, we would definitely not be able to stop there. And I didn't have any protection with me, and I refuse to disrespect you by sleeping with you without the proper precautions. Plus, like I told you last night, I want us to take our time and really enjoy it and I want it to be perfect, and we didn't have the perfect setup last night".

"Why didn't you just say that?"

"Well, I tried. It just came out wrong and then you were so upset with me when you headed to bed, I figured I better let you cool off first".

"Yes, you should have".

"Why don't you go home and get all dressed up and let me take you to dinner?"

"So you can reject me once again? Plus, I thought you didn't want to be seen with me, remember?"

"Baby, come on. I'm trying here".

"Just trying to follow your lead, Jonathan. Secrecy is what you wanted, right?"

"Yes, it was. Fine, what if we don't get all dressed up, and I find us a dinner spot up the coast a little ways?"

"One dinner?"

"One dinner".

"Fine".

"Go get your things, I'll follow you to your apartment and we can go from there".

"Why don't you just come pick me up in an hour?"

"I can do that".

She got up and headed to her office and got her things together and then headed home.

***Jennifer's apartment***

She came inside and quickly changed into a black sleeveless jumpsuit and some red heels. She put on a red necklace and a red bracelet and a pair of red hoop earrings.

She sprayed on some perfume, and then went and poured herself a glass of water.

Jonathan knocked on the door right on time, and she let him in.

"Hi".

"Hi. You ready?"

"Yeah, just let me put this glass in the sink".

She set her glass in the sink, and then grabbed her purse and her keys.

"Ok, ready".

They headed to the elevator and then out to the parking lot.

He opened the door for her and helped her in the car.

They had a quiet ride at the start.

"Jonathan, can I ask you something?"

"Certainly".

"You said we were going up the coast. But this is down. Up is back the other way".

He chuckled.

"I did say we were going up the coast. But I didn't say I was driving us, did I?"

"Well, when you said you were going to pick me up, I just assumed".

He reached over and patted her hand.

"Trust me. I promise you'll enjoy it".

They pulled up to the airport, and pulled around and parked right next to a large plane.

"Ok, this is it".

"This is what?"

"Darling, we are taking the company jet somewhere".

"There's a company jet?"

"There is".

He went around and opened the door for her, and then walked her to the plane.

"No luggage, we'll be back tonight".

They walked up the steps.

"Jack Wilmont, this is Jennifer Edwards. Jennifer, this is Jack Wilmont, my pilot".

"Hi, nice to meet you".

"Nice to meet you too, ma'am".

They headed into the cabin.

"So, this is the cabin. Seats 20. Seats recline, we can watch tv or movies. Full bathroom and mini kitchen right there, and through that door, is a bedroom and full bath".

"Wonderful. This is very nice".

"Thank you".

They got seated and he showed her how to recline the seats.

Jack came and told them they had clearance and would be taking off in 10 minutes.

"Thanks Max".

Jonathan went and got them some wine.

"Here's to a lovely evening".


	11. Chapter 11

They landed about an hour and a half after takeoff.

Jonathan had arranged for a rental car and it was waiting on them when they landed.

"Ok folks. I'll be at a sports bar up the street. Just call me when you need me".

"Thank you, Jack".

"Thanks Jack".

They got in the car and drove along.

"Darling, where are we?"

"We are in Sacramento. A buddy of mine owns a restaurant up here, and I called and reserved it for the whole night, for just the two of us".

"How sweet".

He drove them to the restaurant and then parked and opened the door for her.

He took her hand and led her inside.

"Hello, Mr. Hart, Miss Edwards".

"Hi."

"Your table is ready, right this way".

They were taken to a table in the middle of the restaurant that had been set with the most beautiful square plates with a silver ribbon, and two tall candles in silver candle sticks.

Jonathan pulled her chair out for her, and then took a seat right next to her.

"Darling, would you like some wine, or some champagne?"

"Some wine would be nice. Zinfandel if they have it".

Jonathan turned to the waitress.

"Bring us your best bottle of White Zinfandel, please".

"Yes sir".

They perused the menu and made their selections and then placed their orders when the waitress came back.

"I will put these in right away. Do you want your salads to come out with your meal?"

"Yes, please".

"Ok, you are looking at about 25-30 minutes."

"Thank you".

The waitress got out a camera.

"Ok, lean in close and smile".

Jennifer managed to make it look convincing.

"Great. Pick this up at the hostess stand when you leave".

Jennifer took a sip of her wine, and then looked around the room.

"This is a lovely restaurant".

"Yes, it is".

"So, your friend owns it?"

"Yes, and he's the head chef. His name is Marc Eddleton. He's a good guy".

The band started to play and Jonathan looked over at Jennifer.

"Would you like to dance?"

She nodded.

They made their way to the dance floor and wrapped their arms around each other and started to dance.

She rubbed his back while they danced, and he pressed his cheek against hers.

It felt so good to him to hold her in his arms. He never wanted to let her go.

Jennifer had no idea how long they had been dancing. Time seemed to stand still when she was with Jonathan.

He kissed her cheek when their dances were finished, and they went and sat down.

The head chef brought out their entrees.

"Jonathan, great to see you! It has been too long".

"Yes, yes it has".

"And you must be the lovely Jennifer Edwards. I'm Marc Eddleton".

"Hi, it's lovely to meet you".

"Likewise, ma'am".

"Ok, so we have the 9 oz ribeye, with sour cream mashed potatoes, and a house salad with our special house dressing".

Jonathan raised his hand.

"And we have the Chicken Christopher with a Caesar salad, and some of our house special jumbo asparagus".

"Looks great".

"Please, enjoy your meal, and let my staff know if I can get you anything else. Here is a dessert menu, when you are ready. I can pack it to go if I need to".

"Thank you, Marc".

They had a nice dinner, and both declared the food was out of this world.

"How did you find this place?"

"I attended the grand opening several months ago. He and I were in the Navy together, and he was on kitchen staff. The kitchen staff took turns, meaning one week they would cook, the next they would clean, the next they would serve, and the next they were on breakfast duty. We all loved it when it was his turn to cook, because he always made the meals taste better".

After they were finished eating, they decided to split a dessert.

Jonathan ordered them the chocolate mousse.

After he had paid the bill, they said their final goodbye to Marc and then Jonathan called Jack and arranged for him to head to the airport before they headed to the car.

He opened the door for her and helped her in, and then slid into the driver's seat.

She laced her fingers through his as they drove to the airport.

They made it back to the airport, and after Jennifer was settled on the plane, Jonathan went and returned the rental car and then came back.

"Ok Jack, whenever you are ready".

Jennifer had reclined her seat and kicked her heels off.

As they were taxiing to take off, Jonathan looked at Jennifer.

"Sweetheart, I'm really sorry about last night".

"It's ok, Jonathan. We don't have to talk about it. We don't ever have to talk about it again".

He leaned over and kissed her several times, slowly and with just enough passion to make her want the kisses to keep going.

They kissed for the entire plane ride. Some were short and sweet, some were long and romantic. Every single one was passionate and intense.

Jack buzzed them but they didn't answer.

After he had landed the plane, he came into the cabin.

"Ok, it's time to take the late-show home, unless you want me to start charging admission".

Jennifer started laughing and buried her head on his shoulder.

They got up and exited the plane, and then got in the car.

She laced her fingers through his again, and they drove back to her apartment.

She let him unlock the door, and they went inside.

"Thank you for dinner, that was incredible".

She wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Forgive me, sweetheart?"

She nodded and kissed him.

"Are all our dates going to be like this?"

He grinned at her.

"Most of them".

He gave her a few goodnight kisses and then headed home.

"See you tomorrow, Miss Edwards".

"See you tomorrow, Mr. Hart".

She closed the door behind him, and smiled the whole way to bed.

***Saturday***

Jennifer was in the middle of a double, and she was more than slammed. She stepped into the kitchen to take a breath for 2 seconds, when the hostess came to find her.

"Hey, you had a phone call. A guy named Jonathan. He said they finished early, so he will meet you at your house when your shift ends".

"Ok thanks".

By 9 p.m., she was dead on her feet, and all she could think of was getting a bubble bath.

Her final table was a table of 26. She stayed on top of it, and they rewarded her handsomely.

As soon as they left, and she put in her tip-share, the manager came and called her in the office.

"Hi, I have your tip-share for the last few weeks, from the bar".

"Oh, thank you".

"Also, Emily wants to know if you and her can switch shifts-she says you can have her Thursday if she can have your Monday".

"Yes, please".

"Great. Good work today. Go on home, I'll have the busboys clean your tables and do setup".

"Thank you immensely".

She barely had the energy to walk in the door.

She was glad to find Jonathan sitting on the couch.

"Hi darling".

"Hi baby. You look beat".

He stood up to hug her.

He leaned over and kissed her.

"I am".

"Well, I was going to fly us somewhere tonight, as a surprise".

"We can do it, I just need a hot bath first".

"Sure".

He poured her a glass of wine, and then took it to her in the bath.

"Oh great idea. Thank you".

He sat in the living room while she took her bath, and then went and sat in the bedroom with her while she packed an overnight bag.

"Dressy?"

"Casual".

"Got it".

"Were you guys busy?"

"Yeah, we were. I didn't get a break all day".

"Darling, how long are you going to wait tables? I can pay for whatever you need if you can't pay for it".

"I can't ask you to do that, Jonathan. We barely know each other".

"Barely know each other? We've been out of town together twice now, and in about an hour we will do it again".

"I didn't mean it like that. Come on, if you're looking for a fight, I promise you, I don't have the energy".

"I'm not looking for a fight. But baby, you make great money working for me. Plus, you have your articles. And I know you said you can make fast cash waiting tables. I just hate to see you so tired after your shift".

"I'm not going to do it forever, I promise".

She finished packing her bag and then they headed to the living room.

"Darling, where is my apron?"

"Oh, it's right here".

He handed it to her and she pulled out a wad of cash from the pocket. She counted it, and then pulled some bills out and put them in her wallet and put the rest in the jar.

"Ok, ready?"

"Yeah. Can I ask for one more favor?"

"Anything".

"I'm starved".

"We can pick something up if you want".

She nodded.

"Let's do this".

2 hours later, she had eaten, taken a short nap on the plane, and they were about to land.

Jack buzzed them and told Jonathan they were landing in 10 minutes.

He leaned over and started kissing her.

"Wake up baby, we are about to land".

She returned the kiss and sat up.

"Where are we?"

"In the most private place I could think of. All will be revealed soon, I promise".

He helped her into the rental car, and began to drive them towards their destination.

"Darling, normally I would book us a 5-star hotel, or as close to 5 stars as I can get. This town doesn't have that, so I just want you to understand we are going for privacy over elegance".

"I'm with you, Jonathan. That's all I need".

He kissed the back of her hand.

A few minutes later, they pulled up into the parking lot of a Best Western.

"Ok, so this is the nicest hotel in town. We have a room here for the night".

"Where are we?"

"We are in the farthest north corner of the state, in Crescent City. Where nobody knows us, or will see us, and we can just be us".

"I love this".

They walked inside and checked in, and then headed to their room.

They had a king-sized suite with all the extras. Jonathan carried their bags inside and set them down.

He went to go fill up the ice bucket for them, and she changed into her nightgown.

She was comfy in the bed when he got back.

He stripped down to his boxer briefs and climbed into bed with her and wrapped his arms around her.

She scratched his chest for a bit and settled on his shoulder.

He just held her and lightly ran his hands up and down her back.

"If I could hold you all the time, I would. This just feels so right".

"You would?"

"Yeah, I would. There was a guy in the Navy who used to tell his wife 'velvet under your feet and gold all over the ground'. I would do the same for you. That's why I hate to see you so dead on your feet after working at the restaurant. I just want to carry you all over the place so you don't get tired. I want to protect you from everything".

"You are the sweetest man I've ever known".

She leaned over and gave him a couple kisses.

"Even at the office?"

"You have your moments".

She played with his chest hair for a bit and then suddenly, she sat straight up.

"Oh my gosh! Table 12 wanted ranch, and I forgot to get it for them and I forgot to tell anyone else!".

"Darling, it's ok. It's alright. I'm sure nobody has ever died from lack of ranch".

She laid back down in his arms.

"I don't know what's wrong with me. When I'm at the office, I'm thinking about my article or about waiting tables. When I'm waiting tables, I'm thinking about the office. I don't mean to be so scatterbrained".

"You aren't scatterbrained. You are adorable, and sexy, and kind, and beautiful, and intelligent, and you are pushing yourself way too hard, darling. You're tired, and that's why you keep thinking about giving people ranch".

She chuckled. "Maybe".

She dragged her fingernail across his chest.

"What did you want to do tomorrow?"

"Oh, we have a few surprises. And the rest, we'll get to when we get to it".

"I love it when you're mysterious".

"I'll remember that".

He held her and stroked her hair till she fell asleep, vowing to be the person she needed him to be every day.

***Sunday***

Around 5 a.m., Jennifer woke up to go to the bathroom and then came back to bed.

Jonathan sleepily wrapped his arms around her as she climbed under the covers.

"You ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine".

They slept a couple more hours and then woke up.

He rolled over and kissed her cheek.

"Morning beautiful".

"Morning".

"Feel up to having breakfast in bed?"

"Sure".

They called a local restaurant and placed a delivery order and then got comfy again. He turned on the tv and found them a movie to watch.

A few minutes later, their delivery arrived.

She got up to put a robe on, while he paid for it, and then they immediately took it to bed.

"If only we could have breakfast together every day".

"Well, we could, if I wasn't working for you. You want me to quit the office?"

"Not on your life".

She smiled at him.

"I love knowing you are just down the hall from me".

"Yeah, I love it too."

She fed him a bite of her waffle, and he fed her a bite of her French Toast.

"Do you think anyone at the office knows about us?"

"No, I don't. How could they? It's not like we've tipped our hand or anything".

"Yeah, that's true. But some people just have a radar for that sort of thing".

After they finished their breakfast, he bagged up their trash and then went and hung it on the doorknob.

"Ok, time for a surprise".

"What? This early?"

"Yes. So, roll over on your stomach and close your eyes."

She did, and then he straddled her back. He started rubbing some massage oil under her nightgown.

She raised up slightly and pulled it off over her head and laid back down.

He rubbed out all her stress knots and got her completely relaxed. She couldn't recall when she had received a better massage, even one she had paid for.

He rubbed on her back for at least an hour and then gave her a wonderful calf massage.

After her massage was done, they switched, and she gave him a deep-tissue elbow massage.

"We should remember to do this more often".

"I agree".

After his massage was over, Jennifer headed for the shower. She had just finished rinsing off the massage oil when Jonathan stepped in the shower behind her.

He wrapped his arms around her and started kissing her neck.

"Want to soap my back?"

"Sure".

She handed him the soap and he got her all lathered up, and then reached around and soaped her breasts.

"Mmmm".

She shampooed and rinsed her hair while he let his hands roam all over her body, eventually ending up focused on her butt.

She turned around and kissed him, wrapping her arms around his neck.

She shampooed his hair for him, and then kissed his chest and neck as he rinsed the shampoo out.

She stepped out and grabbed a towel, and started drying off. He turned the water off and did the same.

He picked her up and carried her to the bed and gently laid her down.

She grabbed his face and kissed him as he climbed on top of her.

He moved his kisses to her neck, and found this one spot that drove her nuts when he kissed it. She ran her fingers through his hair, as he moved her kisses to her chest. He reached down and squeezed one of her breasts, and then started sucking on her nipple.

"Oh yeah…"

He loved knowing that he could make her breathless with just a flick of his tongue.

He returned his lips to her lips, and then climbed off her and grabbed a condom. He climbed back on top of her a few seconds later, and she threw a leg over his hip. He quickly joined their bodies together and sank himself inside of her with a forceful thrust.

They began rocking their hips back and forth in synchronous motions.

"Oh yeah, baby…"

"Ho….ney….."

They exploded into ecstasy together, but that didn't stop them. They kept going and found their release again. Finally sated, he collapsed on top of her and wrapped his arms around her as they both calmed down.

"You're incredible".

"You're not so bad yourself".

He leaned down and kissed her for several minutes, and then they got up and started getting dressed.

Jennifer went and sprayed some leave in conditioner in her hair and brushed it through.

She came out of the bathroom and found Jonathan sitting on the bed.

She started giggling.

"What?"

"Your hair is so cute. It's sticking straight up".

He ran his hand through it.

"Here, let me fix it".

She sprayed some leave in conditioner in it, and combed it back down.

She leaned down and kissed him and then grabbed her makeup bag and headed back to the bathroom.

"Darling, are we about to leave the hotel?"

"Yes, we are".

"Wonderful".

He got some things together and then once she was ready they headed out.

"Where are we going?"

"On an adventure".


	12. Chapter 12

They drove down to the beach, and parked. They walked out on to the sand, and began to walk along the shore.

Jonathan pulled a camera out of his pocket.

"This is a new product that Hart Industries is testing. If it tests well, we will begin selling it in a couple months."

"It looks like a camera".

"It is a camera. But it's a special kind of camera-this kind of camera auto detects whether or not you need a flash. And when you develop the film, each picture is automatically printed in black and white and color".

"How original".

They took several pictures of the lighthouse and the coast line and the ocean. Jonathan also took several of them together. Some of them involved them kissing and others didn't.

"Ok, last picture".

He set the camera on a wooden pole, and set the timer. He wrapped his arms around her from behind and then she reached up and grabbed them.

The flash went off, and then he kissed her cheek, and they headed back to the car.

They had a lovely lunch at the seafood restaurant in the hotel, and then headed up to their room to pack their bags.

They headed to the airport, and got settled on the plane.

"Ok Jack, off to our next destination".

"Takeoff is in 10 minutes".

"Great".

Jennifer put her feet up and linked her arm through his.

"Darling, are we going somewhere other than home?"

"Yes, we are".

"Can I have a hint?"

"No. No hints".

She started kissing his cheek and nibbling on his earlobe.

"Sweetheart, just a little longer and we'll be there".

About an hour later, they landed back in Los Angeles.

After the car was loaded, they got in the car and headed up the coast a short distance to a town called Lover's Pass.

He pulled them into a seafood restaurant and parked.

"This place has the absolute best surf and turf you will ever find".

She leaned over and kissed him, and then they got out and went inside.

After they were seated, the waitress took their drink orders.

"I'll be right back".

"Darling, we don't have menus".

"We don't need them, darling. Every meal here comes with a grilled ribeye steak, your choice of a house salad or cheese grits and then you pick your seafood. Actually, you catch it".

"We catch it?"

"Yeah. At the back of the restaurant is a big wide tank. It has shrimp, lobsters, crabs, scallops, mollusks, and other types of fish. You catch what you can or what you want, and then they fix it for you".

"Sounds interesting".

The waiter brought their drinks, and handed them their bibs and nets.

"Here is a price list. Just tell the attendant what you want to catch and he will tell you what part of the tank to go to".

They headed up to the tank and saw that it was full of lobster and crabs and shrimp and scallops, but not a lot of fish or mollusks.

Jennifer caught 4 large crabs, plus a lobster. Jonathan caught 2 really big lobsters, and then filled a bucket of scallops.

They turned them into the grill attendant, and had them sautee the scallops in lemon and butter, and steam the rest.

"What a unique concept".

"Yeah, I thought so too. And it's always so good".

They had a nice leisurely dinner and then Jonathan paid the check and drove them to Jennifer's house.

He carried her bag in and set it in her bedroom.

"Can you stay a little bit?"

"Yeah, I think so".

She leaned up and kissed him.

"We had the most wonderful second half of the weekend, and it's all because of you".

He gave her another kiss and then he went and sat with her on the bed while she unpacked.

She was putting her cosmetics in the bathroom and putting her clothes into a laundry pile, when he saw the lingerie that she had brought but had never worn.

"Baby, I didn't know you brought this with you".

"Next time, darling. I promise".

She sat on the bed next to him and started giving herself a manicure.

"Darling, when did you say the ball thing was?"

"Next weekend".

"Got it. Is there a theme?"

"No, there isn't. Just formal".

"I see".

She handed him the remote and he turned the bedroom tv to a football game.

"Want to go to a football game, darling?"

"No, I don't".

"Would you mind if Max and I went?"

"No, not at all".

She finished her manicure and then snuggled up with him.

He stayed till the game ended, and then she walked him to the door.

"Goodnight darling".

"Goodnight, drive safely."

He gave her several long kisses and then a couple shorter ones.

She locked the door behind him, and then headed to bed.

***Monday***

Jennifer got to work before Jonathan. She was in the breakroom getting coffee and filling her water bottle when Deanne, Stanley and a couple other executives came in.

They were all talking about their weekends.

Jonathan stepped off the elevator and stepped in the breakroom to get some coffee.

"Morning everyone".

"Morning".

"Is there any coffee left?"

"Here, Mr. Hart. Take this one, and I'll make a fresh pot".

"Thank you, Miss Edwards".

"Have a good weekend, Mr. Hart?"

"Yeah, I did. It was great".

"Jennifer, did you have a good weekend?"

"Yes, it was very nice".

She got the coffee started and put the pot in the machine.

"Ok, I'm headed to my office. Everyone try to have a good day, ok?"

"Yes, Mr. Hart".

"You got it, Mr. Hart".

Jennifer felt like she should go along with the others.

"You have a nice day too, Mr. Hart".

As soon as the coffee was ready, Jennifer took the first cup and then headed to her office.

As soon as she was out of earshot the others began talking.

"Oh, they are definitely into each other".

"You think so?"

"Oh yeah. You could cut the sexual tension with a knife".

***Later that afternoon***

Around 3 p.m., Jennifer took the files that she had typed and put them on his desk. He wasn't in his office, so she quickly grabbed a post it, kissed it, and put the note in his middle drawer.

She had just settled back at her desk when he came back into his office.

He sent her a chat message.

 **Dinner tonight? If we do it at my house, we will have it all to ourselves.**

She typed back.

 **Sure, but this time it's on me**.

He typed back almost instantly.

 **We can argue about that later. Max has a poker game, and made a few freezer meals. We can have one of those or we can make something. I'll build us a fire if you want.**

She smirked and then typed back.

 **Whatever you want is fine with me. I'll bring a salad. Do you have any of your beer at home? I can pick some up if you don't.**

She started making a grocery list.

 **Yes, I do. Bring a bottle of your wine though**.

She typed back.

 **Want me to bring anything else?**

A few minutes later, he typed back.

 **No. Hell, we don't have to have dinner even. I just need to get my arms around you for a little bit**. **You could bring the Murdoch file in here so I can do just that, if you want.**

She quickly typed her response.

 **Nice try. Look on your desk, top left corner. And also, look in your middle drawer**.

The phone rang, so she reached over and answered it.

"Hello, this is Jennifer Edwards".

"Hi, it's Susan. How are you?"

"I'm fine, how are you?"

"Good, good. So, you decided to stay on with Jonathan?"

"For now. As soon as I get my freelance job going really well, I'll step back and do that full time".

"Good plan. Well, I hadn't seen you in a while, so I was calling to see if you wanted to get together for lunch tomorrow".

"Sure. Pick a place".

"How about El Fuente? They have the most amazing taco salads".

"Sure. I can usually get away from here around 11, so how about 11:30?"

"Wonderful, I'll see you then".

She hung up and looked at her chat box.

 **You're a sneaky one, darling**.

She grinned and typed back.

 **You haven't seen anything yet. See you tonight.**

She worked till about 5, and then headed home.

***Jonathan's house***

Jennifer pulled up to Jonathan's house and parked behind him.

She went and rang the doorbell and Max came and let her in.

"Hi Miss Edwards! Boy am I glad to see you!"

"Well thank you, Max".

"Mr. H. is changing clothes. He should be right out".

"Great. Can I help you with dinner?"

"Sure, if you'd like".

She followed Max to the kitchen.

"Ok, so I made you twos a fresh lasagna. I just popped it in the oven. Mr. H. said you was going to make a salad, so here's the bowl. When the timer on the microwave goes off, you gotta put the bread in the oven. When the oven timer goes off, you gotta take them both out, and sprinkle a little parmesan on top of the lasagna, and pop it back in for 5 more minutes".

"Got it".

She started slicing veggies for the salad.

"Max, what veggies does Jonathan like on his salad?"

"As little as possible. Carrots, mushrooms, and black olives are about the only veggies he'll eat in the veggie state".

She chuckled.

"Interesting".

Jonathan came and found them both in the kitchen.

"Hey you two".

"Hey Mr. H. I just explained to Miss Edwards about dinner. If you want to eat tonight, you'll listen to her".

Jennifer cracked up.

"Yeah, listen to him, about listening to me".

"Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to play some cards".

"Have fun Max. And thank you for making us dinner".

"Sure thing Miss Edwards".

"Night Max".

"Don't wait up".

Jennifer finished making the salad and stuck it in the fridge.

She walked over to Jonathan and hugged him and kissed him.

"Hi".

"Hi".

She stood there in the kitchen, giving him light kisses until the timer went off.

"Oh, hold that thought".

She went and pulled the lasagna out, pulled the bread out, and sprinkled the cheese on top and then popped it back in and reset the timer for 5 minutes.

They set the table and Jonathan poured each of them a drink.

She got everything out of the oven when the timer went off, and they made their plates.

"This looks so good".

"I'm sure it will be. Max makes a damn good lasagna".

She took a bite and nodded her head in agreement.

"The secret is in the sauce. He uses a meat sauce, and he marinates the meat in Worchestershire sauce for a few days ahead of time. He also uses fresh herbs and spices".

"He's amazing".

They had a nice romantic dinner and then they did the dishes together.

"How about a Brandy by the fire?"

"That sounds wonderful".

"I'll go get the brandy".

He grabbed two Brandy glasses and then headed to the living room.

She brought the last of her wine with her and headed towards the living room a few minutes later. As soon as she went through the door, they collided, and the brandy spilled all over her.

"Oh darling, I'm really sorry".

"It's ok. It was an accident".

"Here, let's get you out of those wet clothes".

"I have nothing else to wear, Jonathan. It will dry in a minute".

"Be right back".

He kissed her and then took off to his room.

About a minute later, he came back with a shirt in his hand.

"Here. It's one of my pajama tops. You can put this on".

"Thanks".

She headed to the kitchen, and got some paper towels and quickly stripped her sweater off and dabbed at her chest.

She stripped out of her pants and put his pajama top on, and then took her clothes to his laundry room and quickly washed them.

After they got the floor cleaned up, he disappeared into his room and changed into some pajama pants and then came back to the living room.

"Let's try this Brandy thing again, shall we?"

She nodded.

He poured them a brandy while she got settled on the couch under a blanket.

"Ahhh. Nice and toasty".

He joined her under the blanket.

She sipped her brandy while she scratched his chest some, and he gave her a few kisses.

Their kisses became more and more passionate, until she crawled onto his lap and started kissing his neck.

"Darling…what time will Max be home?"

"He said don't wait up, so probably not for several hours".

"I see".

"So that means we only have a short window of time".

He picked her up and carried her to the bedroom, kissing her the entire way.

***The next day***

Jennifer worked till 11, and then headed to eat lunch with Susan.

Susan had already been seated, so Jennifer joined her.

"Hi".

"Hi! So glad you could make it".

"Thanks for the invite".

After they placed their orders, they sat back and enjoyed the view.

"So, how are you and Jonathan?"

"We are…finding our footing, I suppose. He's very sweet, and loving and attentive and romantic when it's just us. But when we are at the office, it's like we are all walking on eggshells to keep him from biting our heads off. And I told him I wouldn't be treated that way and I would walk out, and he took it to heart, and has been nicer, but it's really only towards me. And since nobody at the office knows we are together, I can't exactly say anything to him about it".

"Yikes. That's tough. Are you still waiting tables?"

"Yes, but only part time. I took weekends off so that he and I could spend them together, and picked up Monday nights. That's what I mean by finding our footing. As soon as I did that, he committed to working all weekend. So, we have an argument and then he decides to make it up to me, and pulls out all the stops. And I love the stops, and I love that he's making an effort. But I would be just as happy if we ordered pizza at home and ate it in our pajamas".

"What do you mean, all the stops?"

"Well, we don't want to go out in town here because we don't want it in the press. So, we talked about going out of town for the weekends when we can. So, the other night, he made a comment and I took offense to it, and I went to bed angry and he left and went home. So when we talked together the next day, he got me to agree to have dinner with him. So, I'm thinking he's talking about a regular dinner. Me, him, eating, drinking, talking. What it ended up being was he drove us to the airport, had his pilot flew us up to Sacramento, rented out an entire restaurant for the two of us, and then afterwards, we flew back home. He also sent me a mixed flower bouquet with literally 100 flowers in it. I'm not complaining, I swear I'm not. I love that he is so romantic. I just want to know that we are going somewhere".

"Sweetie, that's Jonathan. When he is really passionate about something, he goes all the way. He dives head first and he doesn't hold back. If he didn't care about you, he wouldn't have flown you anywhere".

"Can I ask you something?"

"Of course".

"Did you and Jonathan ever date?"

Susan chuckled.

"No, we didn't. I was already married when my husband met him at the country club. However, I have seen him date many women, and have just a couple serious relationships. He never did anything for them like what you described".

"Interesting. Well, like I said, he's the most amazing man I have ever met. I have never ever had someone treat me this well. When I tell you he's night and day different at the office, it's literally just that. When it's just us, he holds me and he listens to me and he pays attention to me and he makes me feel better. When I get off of a shift at the restaurant, he massages my feet and lets me take a hot bath and brings me a glass of wine. He could not be more wonderful. And when we are at the office, he's yelling about files and he's frustrated over losing business deals and I'm frustrated because I want to do nothing else than walk down the hall and kiss him till my toes curl but I can't".

"Sweetie, I could never and would never survive if I had to work with my husband each day. For the sake of our relationship, we need time apart".

"Yeah, I know what you mean. I think eventually I will not be working there. My ultimate goal is to write for myself full time, and maybe write a book one day".

"I think you would be so wonderful at that".

"Well, thank you".

After they were finished eating, Jennifer picked up the check and then they headed out.

"This was so fun. We must do this again soon".

"I agree. And we will have another dinner party again soon".

"I can't wait. I'll talk to you soon".

Jennifer headed back to the office, and parked next to Jonathan.

She took the elevator up to the 12th floor and went into her office and sat down at her desk and got back to work.

About 20 minutes later, she was jolted out of the zone by the sound of Jonathan yelling.

"Deanne-get Stanley on the phone and tell him I want that report now! And then get Michael Walters on the phone and tell him I need to see him today!"

A few seconds later he popped into her office.

"Where the hell have you been?!"


	13. Chapter 13

"I was at lunch".

"Well you were needed here!"

"For what?!"

"I had a very important file that I needed typed, and I had some questions to ask you and you weren't here".

"I'm entitled to a lunch break".

"I'll decide what you're entitled to!"

"Not when it comes to lunch, you won't. The state of California already did that".

"From now on, you will not take any kind of break without my say so. Is that clear?"

"Crystal".

"Be in my office in ten minutes, and I want this file typed when you get there".

He tossed a file on her desk and stormed out.

She thought a moment and then got up and went to the copy room, emptied a paper box, and took it back to her office. She packed up her things, opened a chat box on the computer and typed him a message before leaving.

 **I quit**.

She grabbed her things and headed out.

***Jennifer's apartment***

Jennifer came into her apartment, stopped to remove the key from under the mat, and then headed to take a bubble bath. Her phone was ringing, but she chose not to answer it. She reached over and checked the caller ID. Hart Industries. She turned the ringer off and headed for the bath.

She soaked for an hour, and was all pruny when she got out, but she didn't care.

She sat down at her computer and started working on an article, to take her mind off things.

She worked on it well into the evening and had just stopped for a dinner break when there was a knock at the door.

She went and answered it and found Jonathan on the other side.

"What do you want?"

"To talk to you".

"Talk? Like how we are talking now? Or scream and yell, like how you did earlier today?"

"Fine. I deserve that. Can I just come in and talk to you, please?"

"Fine".

He walked past her and she closed the door behind him and then headed to the kitchen. She poured herself a glass of wine and then handed him a beer.

"Thank you".

"You're welcome. But I'm not being charitable. I don't drink that brand and you have four other bottles just like it in my fridge".

She brushed past him and headed to the living room and sat on one end of the couch.

He came and sat on the other.

"I've been calling you all afternoon".

"I turned the ringer off. I didn't want to be at yelled at over the phone".

"Darling, I'm sorry I yelled at you this afternoon. I was frustrated and I took it out on you, and I'm sorry. I hate that you quit the office, but I understand why you did. I also hate that I'm the reason you quit".

"We had an agreement, Jonathan. You broke that".

"I realize that".

"I meant what I said-I won't be treated that way, by anyone".

"What will it take for you to forgive me?"

"You aren't getting the big picture, Jonathan. I'm one person. And if you and I weren't in a relationship, I would have never agreed to come back to work for you. It's not just me that you treat that way, and it's not just me that has a problem with it, Jonathan. Don't you see that everyone walks on eggshells around you?"

He sighed.

"Yeah, I do. And I've tried to be nicer and when I met you, I put forth a real and true effort to be nicer to everyone at the office. I'm just sick and tired of everyone constantly messing up the projects. It's frustrating when you work for weeks and weeks on a deal and get all the way to the end and it falls apart".

"I understand that you would be frustrated. But Jonathan, screaming at the people who work for you doesn't accomplish anything. When was the last time you told Deanne thank you after she did something for you? Or Stanley?"

"That's a good point. I do owe them a lot of thanks. And I owe you a lot of thanks as well".

"Level with me. Am I the first person who quit Hart Industries because you yelled and screamed at them?"

"No, you aren't".

"When it's just you and me, you are the most attentive, polite, romantic, caring, wonderful person. And I realize that you couldn't be like that towards me at the office, because we were hiding our relationship. Jonathan, the people who work for you, they deserve to be treated kindly with dignity and respect as well. You can't go on like this".

"You're right".

"Where does this come from?"

"I don't want to get into that".

"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to. My point is, if you don't change something, this cycle is going to repeat itself".

"How do you break the cycle?"

"Are you hypothetically asking me, or are you really asking me for a suggestion?"

"I'm really asking you".

"If it was me, I would put someone in charge at the company that you trust. And I would take a long vacation, like a month-long, and I would examine where this is all coming from. And I would do whatever It took to deal with it properly. And then when you come back to the office, start fresh. Take what you've learned and put it to use".

"And while I'm doing that, what about you and me?"

"I think you should focus on yourself right now".

"I don't want to lose you".

"I didn't say you were losing me. But in fairness, you came damn close this afternoon".

"I'm so sorry. I promise, I just lost my head. I didn't mean it at all".

"I believe you. It doesn't change the fact that you screamed at me, but I believe you. And I believe in you".

"Can I use your phone?"

She nodded and handed it to him.

He dialed a number.

"Hello, Stanley? It's Jonathan Hart. Listen, I'm taking some time off. I will still be at the ball on Saturday, but aside from that, I'm putting you in charge until further notice. You have carte blanche to handle all deals while I'm gone the way you see fit. I trust you implicitly, and I appreciate your loyalty and service to the company. You're welcome."

He hung up the phone and handed it back to Jennifer. She hung it up and then wrapped her arms around him.

"I'm so proud of you".

She held him and stroked his hair.

"Let me take you to dinner. We'll fly off to wherever you want to go".

"Jonathan, I love it when you and I fly off somewhere and have our little adventures. I really do love that, because I love spending time with you. But honey, I don't need you to make some grand gesture every time you upset me or think you upset me. I just need you. You are more than enough".

He leaned up and kissed her and then wrapped his arms around her.

"Ok, so we won't fly somewhere. You pick. Whatever you want from wherever you want".

"You know what I want more than anything? Something simple. Something like you and I ordering a pizza and eating it in bed".

They called and placed their order, and then she took his hand and led him to the bedroom.

He stripped down to his boxers and she changed into a nightgown and robe and they climbed into bed. She handed him the remote and let him find them something to watch.

He wrapped an arm around her, and kissed her on the head.

"So how serious are you about not working at the office ever again?"

"Serious, Jonathan. I don't want to hurt your feelings, so let's just keep it at that".

"Jennifer, it's alright. I can take it".

"I think you and I are great together. But you are a hard person to work for. And I think it will be better for this relationship if we don't have a work one".

"Ok, so let's say I agree with you. How do you feel about us taking our relationship public at the Ball?"

"I'm ok with that. I'm going to miss our secret rendezvous', but I'm ok with that".

"Ok, so let's make a deal. I agreed to take a step back from the company and work on myself. I want you to completely step away from the restaurant. I want us to take a trip together, and really get to know each other. And I want you to come to the office with me and help me reorganize some things."

"Reorganize what?"

"Well, I think I'm going to have Deanne take over your role-just makes sense. I've resisted giving her a computer until now, but I think it's time. I'm also going to put a few other people in charge of some other things so that I don't get frustrated as easily."

"I think that's a great idea. But why do you want me there?"

"Because I want you to teach Deanne the layouts and the formats for the press releases".

"I can do that. It will only take about an hour. I can go in tomorrow and do that if you want".

"I appreciate it. And for the record, I always have appreciated everything you've done at the office".

"I'm glad. Now we just need to get you to say that nicely to the people who work for you".

He sighed. "I'm willing to start being more thankful. However, when I ask someone to do something, and they don't do it, I have a right to get upset".

"Yes, you do. But you don't have the right to yell and scream at people. Take me, for instance. You wanted a file typed up when I was at lunch. Ok, so what was so wrong with you asking me nicely to type it up right away when I got back? You also could have typed it yourself, or just asked someone else to do it. Instead of doing those things, you screamed and yelled at me, and you told me that I wasn't entitled to a lunch break even though the law says otherwise".

"You're right. I'm sorry".

"You don't have to answer the question to me, but I do think you need to answer it for yourself about where this is coming from".

"I know where it's coming from. I just don't want to deal with it".

"Jonathan, until you deal with it, nothing is ever going to change. You're better than this. You don't have to be this way".

"I don't have to do anything. I have enough money that you and I could run off and live wherever we want and never have to work again".

"If you keep yelling at me like you did today, you'll be living by yourself. And I mean that".

There was a knock at the door, so she got up and answered it and paid for their pizza. She grabbed an old towel and brought their pizza box to the bedroom.

She snuggled up to him as they ate, and he started flipping through the channels.

He settled on a program that was about to end.

"Darling, have you talked to Max about whatever this issue is?"

"Not in a very long time."

"He's always willing to listen to you, maybe you should give it some thought".

"Perhaps I should".

They finished their pizza and watched tv for a little bit, until there was a breaking news segment.

 _This just in, the owner of well-known newspapers The New York Times and The Los Angeles Chronicle was fired today by the board of directors of NewsCorp. Mark Newsome was fired by a vote of 12-2, for no confidence. He wouldn't give an official statement after his ousting, but did indicate he was going to start his own paper"._

Jennifer was in shock.

"Oh my stars…"

"Did you know him?"

"Yeah, I did. I worked for him at The Times. I'm surprised he was ousted…he always seemed to avoid that".

"Why would they oust him?"

"Let's just say he was a louder yeller than you who can't keep his hands to himself".

Jonathan looked away.

She leaned back and put her hand on his chest.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to make you feel bad".

"I know you weren't. It's completely my fault that things have gotten this bad."

She tried to make him feel better, but it didn't work.

"Want to stay the night?"

"Are you sure you want me to?"

"I'm positive. Dating Jonathan hasn't done anything wrong, honey. Boss Jonathan did. And when you are here, you aren't Boss Jonathan".

He finally relented. She took the rest of the pizza to the fridge and then locked the door and came back to bed.

She climbed under the covers and snuggled close to him.

He grabbed her face and kissed her for several minutes.

"Thank you for not giving up on me".


	14. Chapter 14

***Saturday***

Jennifer was at her apartment, getting ready for the ball with Jonathan.

He was supposed to come pick her up in an hour.

She had just gotten out of the bath when there was a knock at the door.

She hurriedly threw on a robe and went and answered it.

He was standing on the other side of the door.

"Hi, what are you doing here this early?"

"Power's out at my house. Can I get ready here?"

"Sure, come on in".

They headed to the bedroom.

"I'm actually glad you're here. You can zip me up when the time comes".

She leaned up and kissed him.

They shared the bathroom while they got ready, and then Jennifer stepped into the closet to slip on her dress.

She had chosen a black strapless pleather mermaid style gown, with a strapless neckline and some black lace gloves that went up to her elbow. She paired it with some black lace heels.

She stepped out of the closet and came over to him and he zipped her and then twirled her.

"Darling, you look absolutely gorgeous".

"Thank you".

She straightened his tie for him, and then kissed him.

"Nervous?"

"Yeah. Trying not to be, but yeah".

"You're so cute when you're nervous".

They headed out and held hands the whole way to the car.

She rubbed the back of his hand while he drove them to the ball.

He decided to valet park the car, so they got out in front of the venue and made their way down the red carpet.

They posed for several photographs, and then walked inside.

He saw Deanne and Stanley at the bar.

"Darling, would you like a drink?"

"Yes. White wine, please".

"I'll be right back".

She figured he was going to go talk to Deanne, and she was right. She also saw him talking to Stanley and shaking his hand.

A few minutes later, he appeared with her wine.

"Thank you".

She took a sip, and then set it down.

"This is such a nice place".

"Yeah, it really is".

"Want to get a plate?"

"Sure".

They headed to the buffet, and made their plates. Jonathan had told the caterer to spare no expense and the buffet reflected that.

Just as Jonathan had finished eating, the lights dimmed.

"Darling, that's my cue. I have to go give the opening speech."

"You'll do just fine, I know it".

He went up to the microphone.

"Hi, everyone, I'm Jonathan Hart, the CEO of Hart Industries. I just want to thank you all for coming to the Hart Industries Charity Ball. The proceeds tonight will benefit the Los Angeles Children's hospital. We have a great setup as far as food goes, and the bar is a cash bar, so drink till your heart's content. In just a few minutes, the band will start playing and the dance floor will open. And I just want to take a few minutes to spotlight the people who have worked very hard to put this together and just say, Thank you. I appreciate every thing you've done".

Everyone was clapping.

"Ok, so now, my girlfriend and I are going to share the first dance. Thanks for coming and I hope everyone has a great time".

He walked out on the dance floor and Jennifer walked out there to him.

All of his employees started gasping in shock.

They shared a lovely dance, and it was obvious to everyone they belonged together.

"Darling, they are staring at us."

"Because you're so beautiful, darling. And because they are shocked that I'm dating someone I worked with".

"How did your chat with Deanne go?"

"Well. She was very receptive and thanked me for thanking her".

"I'm so proud of you".

When their dance ended, they went and got another drink, and then mingled.

Just before the last dance, Jennifer headed to the bathroom.

She had just come out of the stall when Deanne approached her.

"Hi. I just wanted to thank you. Because of you, Mr. Hart is actually becoming…nice. I know it's because of your influence, and I just want you to know I appreciate it".

"You're welcome, sweetie. He means well, he really does. Deep down he's not a horrible monster. He just gets frustrated. Don't give up on him, and don't be afraid to tell him when he's pushed you too far".

"For the record, I totally pegged him as in to you".

"You did?"

"Yeah, it's so obvious. He looks at you with this special look. And I've seen him with lots of women. He hasn't ever looked at anyone the way he looks at you".

"Wow. I've never noticed that. Thank you".

She headed out of the bathroom and went and found Jonathan.

"Darling, it's about to be our last dance. Want to dance once more?"

"You bet I do".

"Great. I have to give a final speech and hand out some awards and then announce that it's last dance, and then we dance".

"Knock em' dead, darling".

She gave him a quick kiss and then headed to get a drink.

Jonathan made his way to the microphone, and started his speech.

"Ok, so we have made it to the end of another Hart Industries Charity Ball. And I want to thank you all again for coming, and remind you to drive safely, call a cab if you need to, tip your bartenders, and to please come back again next year. Now for the awards. Our awards committee watches everyone at the ball and then decides on the awards. So, here we go. This year, best bowtie goes to Owen Grant, for his red plaid bowtie. Oh, all awards can be claimed at the registration table. Best Dressed female goes to…my gorgeous date and girlfriend, Jennifer Edwards. Great job, darling. Best male dancer goes to Stanley Friesen. Best female dancer goes to Holly Lynnfield. And Most Photogenic Couple goes to my date and myself. Ok, everyone it's last dance. Thank you all for coming and have a great night".

He handed the microphone to the lead guitarist, and then held his hand out to Jennifer, who came and joined him.

They shared a final dance.

"Want to continue this party at my place?"

"Sure. Can we go to my place so I can pack a bag first?"

"Yeah, we can do that".

"How buzzed are you? Do we need to get a cab?"

"I'm fine, darling".

"Glad to hear it".

He spun her a few times, and then kissed her.

"I can't believe I won best dressed".

"I can, you're always best dressed in my book".

"You're sweet".

After their dance ended, they began to make their way to the registration table. Everyone was coming up to Jonathan and congratulating them and telling them they enjoyed the ball.

He took his time with each person and thanked them for coming and thanked them for their work at the office.

Jennifer could tell each of them were shocked that he was doing that.

They finally got to the registration table, and collected their awards and then headed home.

They came into her apartment.

She set her purse and the awards down on the counter. She held on to his arms while she took her heels off.

"Darling you open this one, and I'll open this one".

Jennifer's award for best dressed was a gift card to a spa for a massage and a facial. Their award for most photogenic couple was a gift card to a seafood restaurant.

"Darling, can you unzip me please?"

"Yeah". He unzipped her and she headed to the bedroom to pack a bag and change clothes.

A few minutes later, she was ready to go.

"When do you work at the restaurant again?"

"I did what you asked. I took myself off the schedule".

"Great, so we can spend the whole day together tomorrow".

"We can".

"Wonderful".

She leaned up and kissed him and then they locked the door and headed to his car.

She leaned against his shoulder and scratched his arm while they drove.

They pulled up to his house and parked, and went inside.

"Where's Max?"

"Poker tournament in Lake Tahoe".

"Well, good. I hope he wins big".

"Yeah, me too".

She stood with him while he made himself a drink, and then they headed to his room.

"So, I want your honest opinion of the ball. Tell me what worked and what didn't".

"I loved all of it. The venue was absolutely perfect. The food was outstanding, and the drinks were great. Only thing I would add would be maybe a photo booth, or something they could do that would result in something they could take home from the event".

"That's a good idea".

"And this next idea only applies to you and me-next time, we need more dances together".

"We can definitely add that in. Did you like the red carpet?"

"Yes, I did".

"Good. That was my idea".

She scooted behind him when he climbed into bed and started rubbing his shoulders.

"Oh, that feels wonderful. Right there…oh yeah".

"Darling, what do you plan to do with your time off?"

"Well, I was hoping you and I could take a trip together. Other than that, I don't have anything concrete planned".

"I think everyone from the office appreciated you thanking them tonight".

"You do?"

"Yeah, you could see it in their faces".

"Well, that's nice. I was doing it for you".

She stopped massaging him.

"For me? I don't need you to apologize and thank people for me. You need to do it for you".

"Jennifer, you are the one who was pushing me to do it".

"Pushing you?! You really think I was pushing you?"

"Yeah, I do".

"I see. Well for your information, I wasn't pushing you. If you didn't want to apologize and thank them, you shouldn't have done so".

"I wouldn't have, if you hadn't made me feel bad about it".

"I see."

She got up and grabbed her bag and headed to the kitchen. She grabbed the phone and called for a cab.

He got to her right as she hung up.

"I'll take you home. You don't have to take a cab".

"The last thing I would do right now is get in a car with you".

She walked out the front door and he followed.

"Jennifer, don't do this".

She turned away from him and sat down on the front step.

He sat next to her.

"Why are you doing this?"

She wiped her tears away.

"Would it kill you to be appreciative?"

"What are you talking about? I appreciate you".

"I'm not the one who needs the appreciation. Your employees are. And I would know, I walked out because I wasn't getting any appreciation from you. And when I told you that, you agreed with me. And then tonight, I was so proud of you for thanking them and apologizing to the ones you mistreat the most. And when I tell you, you tell me you only did it because I was pushing you to do it. How do you think that makes me feel? I wasn't pushing you to do anything. And I don't want to date a liar. I did that once before and it didn't work out".

"If you knew what this was really about, you would understand".

"Why don't you tell me what it's really about?"

"Because, like I told you before, I don't want to get into that".

Just then her cab pulled up.

"I hate more than anything that you think you can't trust me".

She got up and headed to it without another word.

***The next day***

Jennifer was at her apartment. She was miserable not talking to Jonathan, but it was for the best.

She had just ordered a pizza when the phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Hey, it's Susan. I was calling to invite you and Jonathan to a dinner party Tuesday night".

"That's sweet. But we aren't together, so I won't be coming."

"What? Sweetie, come meet me so we can talk about this. You don't need to be alone right now".

"That's ok. I'm in no shape to leave the house or drive or anything".

"Ok, well what if I bring ice cream and we just talk?"

"I could do that."

Jennifer gave Susan her address and they hung up.

She got out the plates and the silverware and the bowls.

A few minutes later, Susan was knocking on the door.

"Hi, come on in".

"Hi".

Susan gave her a long hug.

"Ok, what's the deal?"

"So, you and I had lunch, and then I went back to the office. And as soon as I got there he started yelling at me. Said I didn't have permission to take a lunch when he needed me there. I countered and told him that the state of California had decided I was entitled to a lunch break. He kept on yelling and then demanded that I go to his office, and instead, I walked out and quit. I was serious when I told him before that I wasn't going to be treated that way. So, he comes over after work and tries to apologize and we really talked about it. I was honest and told him that he needed to be nicer to people in the office, and that everyone walks on eggshells around him. He agreed with me, and agreed to take some time off, and work on himself and put forth a real effort. So, I went in the next day, I trained his secretary on how to do the templates that I had made. And he asked me to quit the restaurant and I did. He wanted me to still be his date last night to the charity ball so I was. We went and had a great time. At the ball, he thanked everyone sincerely, and I watched him go up to some people from the office and apologize to them and thank them. And then we go to his house and I'm telling him I'm so proud of him. And he tells me "Well you should be, I only did it because you pushed me to do it".

"Are you serious?!"

"Yep. So, I grabbed my bag, went to the kitchen and called a cab. He came to the kitchen and told me I didn't need a cab, he would drive me home. I told him no, and went to the front door and waited on the porch. He told me that if I knew what this was really about, I would understand. But he refuses to tell me what it's really about. So, I feel like if he can't trust me, we have no future together. And I just feel so stupid, for believing in him and I".

"I'm sorry. I feel like this is my fault for setting you two up".

"It's not. I promise you, I don't blame you at all".

Her pizza and salad arrived so she got up to pay for it.

"Want some pizza and salad?"

"Sure".

"So, I know you didn't date him, and I don't know how long you've known him. Would you have any idea what is causing him to act this way?"

"No, I don't. But I suspect it's related to the orphanage. I see lots of adults who have anger issues as a result of being in a foster home".

"Interesting. I almost considered asking him to call you but I could tell he didn't want to get into that the other night so I didn't bring it up".

"He's a good guy, I can honestly tell you I've never seen him act this way".

"I told him the other night that when we are together just us, everything is wonderful. But when he's at the office, he can't control his emotions. And he wasn't screaming at me last night, but I don't want someone who thinks I'm pushy or who thinks I can't be trusted enough for him to tell me what's going on".

"I don't blame you one bit".

They finished eating and then Jennifer returned to the couch.

"I'm sorry I won't be at your dinner party."

"It's ok, there will be others".

"Did Jonathan say he was going?"

"I never called him."

"Oh".

"Are you going to be alright?"

"Yeah, I'm sure at some point I will be. I just miss him so much. I really care about him."

"I think he really cares about you too. From a medical standpoint, I suspect that he has no control over this, because he's pushed his anger down so far for so long, and he just can't do it any longer. That's why he feels horrible about it afterwards, because he really didn't mean it. If he was in control of it, he wouldn't care that it had happened. I truly think he can't control this. Do you ever feel unsafe with him?"

"Not at all. Not one time".

"Well, that's a plus".

Susan got up to go, and gave her a long hug.

"It's going to be ok. You will be just fine, I know it".

"Thank you. Thanks for coming over. And if you get the opportunity to help him with this, please do so. He deserves that".

She locked the door behind her, and then went and took a hot bath.

***Susan***

Susan got in her car, and picked up her car phone.

"Hello?"

"Hey. It's Susan. Can you meet me somewhere?"


	15. Chapter 15

Susan pulled up to the meeting space, and waited.

Pretty soon, her guest arrived.

"Hi".

"Hi. So, I was going to invite you to a dinner party Tuesday. But Jennifer told me you and her split. Are you ok?"

"No, I'm not. I'm miserable. I miss her more than I ever thought possible. And I hate this, because it's all my fault. I tried to make things right, but I kept getting in my own way, so I just stopped talking, and that didn't help. And I know I need help for this, but I'm scared. I don't want to face all this again, and I don't want the press to get wind of me being somewhere".

"I understand all of that. I can help you, if you'll let me".

They talked about it, and he agreed to her plan.

"Ok, I'm headed home. You need to go home and prepare. I will call you tonight with the final arrangements".

"Thank you".

"You're welcome".

***Jonathan's house***

Jonathan came in and found Max in the kitchen.

"Hey Max, how was Tahoe?"

"Broke even".

"Great job".

"How was the ball?"

"Good. Nice turnout."

"I picked up some stuff for dinner on my way home. I got some of that special pesto sauce Miss Edwards likes".

"She won't be coming over here anymore, Max. But that was nice of you to get that for her".

"What happened?"

"We had a disagreement and she wants me to tell her something and I just can't".

"It's the orphanage stuff again, isn't it?"

"Yeah, it is."

"When you going to let that go, Mr. H.?"

"I thought I had, Max. I thought I had".

"Miss Edwards is a great lady, Mr. H. She's the best lady you ever brought home. If you let her get away, you're a fool. If she wants to know what the real issue is, tell her. She can handle it".

"I can't. I know what will happen if I do."

"What's that?"

"She will look at me differently, and judge me and pity me and I don't want that".

"Mr. H., Miss Edwards ain't like that. You may not trust her, but you do trust me. And she ain't like that".

Jonathan filled him in on what he had decided to do.

"That's the best decision you've made since you invited Miss Edwards to dinner, Mr. H."

***Jennifer***

Jennifer was at home, watching tv when there was a knock at the door.

She went and opened it and found Max.

"Hi, come on in".

"Hi. I know this is awkward. I'm sorry, Miss Edwards. Mr. H. sent me. He wanted to come in person, but there wasn't time. He asked me to give you these flowers, and this letter and to tell you that he's sorry he had to send me in his place".

"Thank you, Max".

"I hope to see you soon, Miss Edwards".

She kissed his cheek.

"Me too".

She locked the door behind him, and then put the flowers in water and took them to the end table in the den. She opened his letter.

 _Darling, I'm so sorry for the problems that we have and how all of this transpired between us. I am even more sorry that my problems caused me to hurt you. I have decided to deal with my problems the best way I know how, and for right now, that means I have to shut down my life and seriously deal with my issues. I promise you, you weren't the cause of them, you were just an unintended victim of sorts, and you were also the catalyst in getting me the help I need. I'm sorry I said you were pushing me the other night-if anything, you pushed me to get help and I couldn't be more grateful. I promise you, I will sit down with you and answer any questions you have when I can. I owe you that, and I hope you will give me the chance. If you need anything, call Max. Again, I'm sorry, and I hope that one day, you can forgive me. Jonathan._

She wiped the tears away and covered up with a blanket. She tried to watch a movie, but couldn't focus on it. She ended up just going to bed.

***A month later***

Jennifer was at home, working on another article.

She was exclusively writing freelance now, and doing some editing on the side and she loved it.

She had gotten up to get some water when the phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Hi, it's Jonathan".

"Hi".

"Did I catch you at a bad time?"

"No, not at all. How are you?"

"Good. I was calling to ask you something".

"Go ahead".

"Would you be willing to meet with me?"

"I suppose so".

"So, when I left, I checked into a treatment center in Washington State. It's not like a typical treatment center, it's more like an anger rehab type place. Anyways, as part of my treatment, I have to make amends. And you are first on the list, and I was hoping you would come up here and meet with me for a few days and meet my counselor and we could really talk".

"I would love to do that".

"Wonderful. I will call Jack and have him fly you here and I will book you a hotel as well. I really appreciate you coming. And I'm here under the name Jonathan Brennan".

"I really appreciate you asking".

"Can you come tomorrow?"

"Sure. Do you need me to bring you anything?"

"Yes, actually. Can you call Max, and see if he can help you? I need to restock my shaving kit."

"Jonathan, if you just tell me what you need, I'll get it".

"Well, he sometimes keeps those things stocked in the house".

"Oh. Ok. Anything else?"

"Just you".

"Is there anything I'm not allowed to bring with me?"

"I'm looking at the visitor guidelines and I can honestly say that I've never seen you with any of these items that are prohibited. Things like knives and guns and flasks aren't allowed".

"Good, we are in the clear."

"My time for this call is almost up. I'll see you tomorrow".

"Ok. I'll see you tomorrow".

"Bye Jennifer".

"Bye Jonathan".

She hung up and called Max.

"Hey Max, I just spoke with Jonathan. He wants me to come visit him. He needs his shaving kit restocked. I don't mind getting the items, but I need to know what they are, and he told me to ask you".

"I have all those things here. How about I bring them to you in an hour?"

"That sounds good. Thanks, Max".

She went and started packing, and was almost finished when Max knocked on her door.

"Hi, thanks for bringing these."

"I'm so glad you are going to see him."

"Yeah, I'm getting excited myself".

"Here are some snacks for him too. But if it's not allowed, then those are socks".

She cracked up.

"Thank you, Max".

"Safe travels, Miss Edwards".

She locked the door and finished packing her suitcase and then finished her article.

As she climbed into bed that night, she had those same first date butterflies in her stomach all over again.

***The next day***

Jennifer was up early, and ready to walk out the door at 8. She had been told to meet Jack at the airport at 9.

She pulled up to the airport at exactly 8:45 and took her suitcase out of the backseat.

The baggage handler loaded it for her and she went up the stairs into the plane.

Jack appeared.

"Hi. We should have a short flight-about 4 hours. No turbulence is expected".

"Wonderful".

"Do you know how long you are staying?"

"No, I don't".

"Ok, I can handle that".

They had a pretty easy flight, and when they landed, there was a car service waiting on Jennifer.

They drove her to the treatment center and dropped her off.

She walked inside and went to the reception desk.

"Hi, I'm here for a visit with Jonathan Brennan".

"Yes ma'am. He's in a session right now. You can put your bags in this room and have a seat on the porch if you'd like. He should be through in about 20 minutes".

"Thank you".

She put her bags in the bag room, and then went and sat on the front porch on a porch swing.

She had been out there for a little bit when he came outside.

"Hi".

"Hi. It's good to see you".

She stood up and hugged him.

"It's beyond wonderful to see you. I have a few minutes- can we swing a little bit?"

"Sure".

They shared the swing and tried to have normal conversation.

"How was your flight?"

"Perfect".

"Good. Did you talk to Max?"

"Yeah, I did. He sent you some snacks, in a bag labeled socks".

"That's Max".

"This is a nice place".

"It really is. I'll give you a tour later. Everyone here has been wonderful".

"How did you find this place?"

"Susan. She recommended it, called and gave me a referral".

"That was very kind of her".

"So, you and I are going to meet with my therapist. And then afterwards, you and the therapist are supposed to meet, I think? And I got special permission to take you to dinner tonight, but I have to be back here by 10."

"Jonathan, you and I can have dinner after you get out of here. The whole point of you being here is to get a handle on things".

"I know that. I earned a day pass, and I thought you and I could go have a nice dinner and be normal for the first time in a long time".

"Let's see how this afternoon goes".

"Fine, I'll agree to that".

His therapist stepped outside.

"Hi, I'm Bryan. You must be Jennifer".

"Hi, it's nice to meet you".

"You are every bit as gorgeous as Jonathan described".

"Thank you, that's very kind".

"Shall we go in? We can sit in the meeting room".

They all walked in and headed to the meeting room.

"Ok, so Jonathan and I have been working really hard. And he wants to share that with you. But in order to do that, he has to start from the beginning and explain to you why he's here. Now, I can step out, or I can stay, it's up to you".

Jennifer turned to Jonathan.

"It's your call".

"You can stay. You already know just about everything I'm going to say".

"When you're ready".

"When I was 2, at least I think I was two, I was taken to the orphanage because my family died. The orphanage was in San Francisco, and it was run by nuns and the priests from the nearby church. We had a routine there-get up, do your morning chores, breakfast, chapel, school, afternoon chores, homework, dinner, free time, and then bed".

Jennifer nodded.

"So, when I was growing up, I was mischievous, and I got punished a lot. But what they didn't realize, is that I was doing it on purpose".

"You were doing it on purpose?"

"Yeah. See, when you got in trouble at the orphanage, you had to go see the nun in charge. If she thought you had committed a minor infraction, she dealt with it herself and just gave you extra chores. If she thought it was a major infraction, she sent you to the priest. So, you go to the priest, and it didn't seem to matter what you had done, the punishment was always the same-10 licks. But if you came forward and were honest, you could get away with dish duty or extra chapel services, things like that. I couldn't stand to see the kids younger than me getting punished, so I would step forward and take the punishments. Or they would ask me if I knew who did it, and I would tell them no when I really did know, and they would assume that I was lying and punish me for that. And the being honest to avoid a beating thing apparently only applied to everyone else, because they never shied away from an opportunity to give me wallops. And the priest would beat me, and then sentence me to dish duty. And when I didn't get adopted, I just knew it was because they told the prospective parents that I wasn't good enough, that I wasn't strong enough to survive being adopted. All my life, I've always felt that when things don't go my way, it's because I'm not good enough, or I'm not worth it."

"That's not true, Jonathan. You are good enough. You are worth it".

"I realize that now. But I haven't always felt that way. So, when I turned 11, they stopped sending me with the prospective parents. And when I got in trouble on my 11th birthday, the priest upped the punishment from 10 licks to 20. By the time I met Max, I was being hit just about every single day, even when I didn't misbehave. And I was in high school, being picked on by a bully named Pete Arnold. He was always telling me that I would be lucky to get a blowup doll to go out with me, and that I couldn't get a job making real money to save my life. And instead of standing up to him, I just took it, like I had always done with the priest. Max saw that I really needed some guidance and some love, and he took me under his wing and was the first person to really care about me for me, and showed me that not everyone in my life hated me, like I thought they all did. He was the first person to really listen to me and really try to help me".

Jennifer turned her head to wipe the tears away.

"Miss Edwards how do you feel about what he has said so far?"

"I feel horrible. I really care about him and I don't want to think about what he went through".

"Now you realize why I didn't want to talk about it".

"I do. And I understand. But dealing with it is essential, Jonathan".

"I agree. That's why I'm here".

"Jonathan, continue".

"So, I met Max, I went into the Navy, and then I started my company. I got so accustomed to having a good day and not having people yell at me, that I stopped thinking about what I had gone through. And then when I would lose a business deal, I would hear Pete's voice in my head. Or the priest's voice. So, I started pushing those thoughts away, but never dealt with them. Until now. So, when I was yelling at you, I really wasn't yelling at you or because of you. I was yelling because of Pete Arnold, and because of the priest. Pete had a business that I almost bought, and would have bought, except he recognized me and remembered me and pulled out of the deal. And he still likes to send me postcards telling me I won't make it".

"So, that's why when it's just us, you aren't like this. Because there's nothing to remind you of them".

"Yeah, that's a good reason".

"Jonathan, why didn't you just tell me all this? I would have understood, and I wouldn't have judged you for it at all".

"Because, I couldn't bring myself to actually put what happened to me in words. It wasn't because I didn't trust you, I was afraid of how I would react if I said it out loud".

"So how did you react when you said it out loud?"

"It wasn't pretty. It was intense and crazy".

She reached over and put her hand on his.

"You remember how you told me you were proud of me?"

"Yeah".

"That set me off. The nuns used to always tell me they were proud of me for taking my punishment so well from the priest".

"Jonathan, I'm –"

"It's alright. You had no way of knowing. In fact, I'm glad you said that to me, because you were genuinely proud of me, and you saying that to me led to me coming here, so I'm not upset at you, I'm grateful".

"I meant every word. I have always been proud of you and I've always believed in you".

Bryan handed her the tissue box.

"Thank you".

She wiped her face and then looked at him.

"Anything else?"

"Yeah, but it's pretty twisted. I think I should leave it alone".

Bryan and Jennifer both assured him it was ok.

"Well, I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm not a fan of people in costume, like Santa, or clowns. That's because the priest would dress up in costume just before he would beat me. There was a process to it. You went to his office, with the nun. Sister Sara Jane. And she would stand on the left side of the room while you stood in the middle. He was always in a costume, no matter what time of year it was. He would make you drop your pants, bend over and grab your ankles, and he would dole out the licks. If you cried or screamed out, he would hit you harder. By the time I left the orphanage, I barely felt them anymore. But to this day, seeing someone in costume bothers me".

Jennifer leaned over and hugged him.

"Let me guess. I'm so messed up you want to run away, right?"

"Not at all".

She wiped her face and looked at Jonathan.

"So, what next?"

"Well, I think when I leave here, I want us to start over. I want us to have regular dates, and I don't care if they are in town or out of town, in the press or not. I want a normal, regular life".

"That's a great idea. But as far as starting over goes, I don't want to come back to work for you at the office".

He chuckled.

"I agree with that. I think our relationship will work best if you don't work for me".

"I agree".

"So, you don't hate me for this?"

"Hate you? I could never hate you. And if I did, it wouldn't be for something that isn't your fault, and this wasn't your fault, Jonathan. Not in the least."

"I'm so glad to hear you say that. I was so nervous that you would".

"Jennifer, do you have any questions?"

"Just a couple. Is there anything that I need to do or can do to continue helping him through this?"

"From what I've seen and from what he's told me about his relationship with you, you're already doing it."

She nodded.

"So, I tried to get him to open up to me. And I failed miserably. How did you get him to open up to you?"

"You didn't fail. Believe me, it wasn't easy. He finally had to make the decision to open up to himself and after that, the dominoes just fell on their own. He did a lot of silent work with a punching bag and had to really get himself ready to open up".

Jennifer reached over and laced her fingers through Jonathans.

"Ok, so that concludes our meeting, unless Jonathan has anything else to say."

"No, I'm done".

"So, he stated to me that he wanted to give you a tour. And then he wants to take you to dinner tonight".

"Yes, he told me that too".

"So, tomorrow, we need to meet again, and talk about what to do when he gets home and what that will look like".

She nodded.

"Thank you for meeting with us, and thank you for helping him".

"My pleasure".

She and Jonathan went on their tour then. He showed her the cafeteria, his room, the chapel, and introduced her to a few people. They ended up walking down the path to the pond at the back, and sitting on the pier.

"Jonathan, I'm sorry I wasn't more understanding with you. It never crossed my mind that it had to do with your childhood. I should have given you the benefit of the doubt and I didn't and I apologize".

"Jennifer, this isn't your fault. And this isn't my fault. I meant what I said, I really want us to start over and have a real relationship that we don't have to hide from anyone. And part of starting over is letting go of the past, so all our misunderstandings are in the past".

"I can deal with that. But I don't know that I want to officially start over, over. I mean, I loved the dates that I had with you, and the trips we took. I don't want to pretend those didn't exist".

"That's a good point. Ok, so what if we just say we are officially back together when I get home?"

"I'd love that".

They sat out there for a little bit and then went back inside.

She signed him out and grabbed her bags.

"Ok ma'am. Here are the guidelines. He has to be back here by 10, and he is not allowed to have any alcohol while he's out. We will breathalyze him and give him a urinalysis when he gets back".

"I understand".

The receptionist called her a cab, and she waited for him on the porch swing.

He came out and joined her just as the cab pulled up.

They headed to her hotel first, and Jonathan insisted on paying for it.

"That was our agreement".

"Thank you".

After they dropped her bag in her room, she quickly freshened up and then they headed to a restaurant for dinner.

She could tell he was tired, and didn't push things while they were out enjoying themselves.

They had a nice dinner and chatted about a few things besides his treatment.

"So, how is the food at the center?"

"Not bad. Not as good as restaurant food, but it's not bad. Then again, I was in the Navy, and I'm not that hard to please".

He insisted on paying the bill, and they called for another cab.

"Have you talked to Max?"

"Yeah, I talk to him just about every night. He misses you. I think he likes having the house to himself, but he always asks me if I've talked to you".

They rode back to the center, and she signed him in.

"You have 30 minutes before you have to be inside, if you two want to sit outside".

"Thanks".

They sat outside on the swing.

He wrapped his arms around her and held her as they swung.

"I've really missed you".

"I missed you too".

"Did Max bring you the flowers and the letter?"

"Yeah, he did. It was really sweet".

"Susan told me you and her had a chat".

"Yeah. She had called to invite me to a dinner party, and I told her no because you and I weren't together and they were your friends and she insisted on coming over. She's so nice".

"Jennifer, they are your friends too. Hell, they probably like you more than they like me".

"I don't think that's true".

The receptionist stuck her head out.

"Ok, time's up. 5 minutes to say goodnight".

She walked him to the door.

"Goodnight, I'll see you in the morning".

"Goodnight. Thanks for dinner and I'll see you in the morning". She leaned up and hugged him.

The receptionist called her a cab, and 10 minutes later, she was headed to the hotel, trying to make sense of her thoughts.


	16. Chapter 16

***The next day***

Jennifer arrived at the treatment center at 9, with a coffee in hand for her and one for Jonathan.

"Hi, I'm here for a session with Jonathan Brennan."

"Right this way, Ma'am".

She was led to a meeting room. Jonathan and Bryan came in a few minutes later.

"Hi".

"Hi". He came over and hugged her for a few minutes.

"Sleep ok? Did the hotel work out?"

"I'm fine, swear it. I brought you a coffee".

"Awesome. I've been having withdrawals".

"Ok, so it looks to me like Jonathan should be able to come home in about 2 weeks. So, between now and then, he will get daily phone call privileges to call you, once in the morning and once at night. When he gets out of here, it's important that everyone treat him as normal as possible. If you want to tell people where you've been, fine. If not, that's ok too. It's your call".

"I appreciate that".

"I would give yourself about a week or so before you head back to work. Don't try to do everything all at once".

Jonathan nodded.

"As far as your relationship with her-take it slow. Listen to her, allow her to listen to you. Be honest with each other. It will all come back".

They both nodded.

"Ok, so we need to fill out this paperwork. Is Jennifer Edwards your legal name?"

"Yes, it is."

"Perfect. When's your birthday?"

"Today".

"Jennifer, why didn't you tell me today was your birthday?"

"It just never came up. It's ok, Jonathan".

"Happy birthday".

"Thank you".

She verified the paperwork and signed it.

"Jonathan, you have 15 minutes till your next session, if you want to walk her out".

"Thanks".

The receptionist called a cab for her, and then Jonathan called Jack.

They arranged for him to meet Jennifer at the airport in 4 hours.

He walked her out to the cab pickup.

"I really appreciate you coming to meet with them and me".

"You're welcome. I appreciate you asking".

"And I promise as soon as I get back to LA, we will celebrate your birthday".

"That's not necessary".

"Yes, it is. After everything I've put you through, you deserve it".

"You're sweet".

Her cab pulled up.

"Well, I guess I'll see you in a couple weeks".

"Yep. I'll call you tomorrow."

He leaned down and gave her the most perfect kiss. She wrapped her arms around him, and kissed him back.

"Happy birthday baby, I'm sorry we had to spend it here".

"I'll talk to you soon".

By nightfall, she was back in Los Angeles.

She stopped and picked up dinner, and then headed to her apartment.

***The next day***

Jennifer and Susan met for lunch and a pedicure.

"So, how are things?"

"Great, actually. I'm officially writing freelance only, and it's going wonderfully. I'm thinking of buying a condo when my lease runs out. Haven't decided for sure".

"Have you heard from Jonathan?"

"Yeah. He called me and asked me to fly up and attend a session with him. He told me everything. His therapist said he should be home in about 2 weeks".

"That's wonderful!"

"Yeah, I'm really proud of him. Only I can't say that, because that's one of his triggers".

"He gets triggered by a compliment?"

"No, just that one. I don't want to betray his confidence, but there were some horrible things that happened to him in his childhood. And instead of stopping it, one of the nuns would tell him she was proud of him for not reacting to it in anger. So, when I told him I was proud of him when he was home last, he was triggered, and that's what caused our argument".

"You had no way of knowing that would happen".

"You're right. I didn't. I still feel bad about it".

"So, do you guys get a second chance here, or what?"

"Yeah, I think so. They gave him a day pass, and he took me to dinner. And I was trying so hard for us to not focus on the elephant in the room, but it was unavoidable. He said he wants us to be a real couple, not hide our relationship like we have been".

"You mean from people at the office?"

"That, and from the press."

"He's so lucky to have you".

"Actually, I think I'm the lucky one. I wasn't counting on how I would feel when I saw him. I just wanted to grab him and kiss him, but I couldn't".

"Why not?"

"Because they have rules about that there. There were other people with their families, but nobody was being affectionate. It was strange".

"That's pretty typical for rehab centers. But you should have been allowed to give him at least one hug and kiss".

"Oh, he kissed me when I left. And we were hugging pretty much the whole time".

"Good. Now when he gets home, you guys have to come for a dinner party. I insist".

"We will, as soon as he's ready to socialize again".

"Wonderful".

Jennifer picked a sparkly purple for her toes, and sparkly lavender for her fingers.

She picked up some soup and a salad for dinner, and headed to her apartment.

Just as she was climbing into bed that night, Jonathan called her.

"Hello?"

"Hey".

"Hi. How are you?"

"Missing you. How are you?"

"Same. I just climbed into bed".

"Wish I was there next to you".

"Yeah, that would be nice".

"When I get home, would you be willing to go on a trip with me? Just us."

"Sure. Where are you thinking?"

"Wherever you want."

"How about Hawaii?"

"Sure, that sounds nice".

"I'll make the arrangements".

"As private as possible, Mr. Hart. I don't want to share you".

"You got it".

"And there's something else I want to do, if you'll do it with me".

"What's that?"

"I want to visit the orphanage where I grew up. Make peace with some things".

"I think that's a great idea, if you are strong enough to handle it".

"I think I have to do this, no matter what".

They chatted a few more minutes, and then he had to go.

"I miss you more than you could ever imagine".

"I miss you too. I can't wait to see you again".

They hung up and she fell asleep pretty easily, dreaming of him all night long.

***Two weeks later***

Jennifer flew up to Washington, and was waiting with a rental car to drive Jonathan to the airport when he was released.

She came into the treatment center and checked in with the reception desk.

"He's in his room packing up. If you want, you can head to his room-it's just down that hall, 4th room on the left".

"Thank you".

Jennifer poked her head in his room, and saw him packing.

"Hey, you ready to head home?"

"Hi! What are you doing here?"

"I came to surprise you".

He picked her up and swung her around.

"I'm so glad you did".

He gave her a quick kiss, and then quickly finished packing.

"Do we need to call a cab?"

"No, I was a big girl. A real adult. I rented a car".

He chuckled and grinned at her.

"You are too cute".

She laced her fingers through his, and they walked down the hall.

After he was officially checked out, they headed to the rental car.

She handed him the keys, and they decided to stop at a café and pick up breakfast, and then head to the airport.

"Where did you think I was going to meet you?"

"I figured I would call you from the plane, and then we would meet you in San Francisco".

"Oh."

"But this was way better".

"I agree".

They returned the rental car, and then boarded the plane.

"Darling, tonight, when we get back to LA, I think I need to spend the night at my house with Max, just me and him. He and I have some things to talk about".

"I think that's a good idea".

They had an easy flight to San Francisco, and Jonathan had rented them a car. Jack promised to hang out and wait for them to come back.

He drove them to the orphanage, and they parked out front.

He came around and opened the door for her, and then they walked inside.

They headed to the main office.

"Hi, I was wondering, who runs this place?"

"Well, Sister Mary Grace is the head nun. There's also Sister Lynnette, and Sister Patricia. And the priest, Father O'Flanagan, he oversees everything but he's not on the premises".

"I used to be an orphan here. I remember a Father O'Rourke, and a Sister Sara Jane. They pretty much ran things. Do they still work here?"

"Yes, actually. They are both in the chapel right now. If you want to go down the hall and take your first right, you'll run right into it".

"Thank you".

They walked down the hall and followed her instructions.

"Jonathan, are you sure you wouldn't rather do this alone?"

"I'm positive. I'm not going to hurt them, I'm just going to get some things off my chest. I didn't tell you everything that happened, because the specific details don't matter. So, if you hear something today that I haven't told you, I'm sorry".

They were coming down the hall when the doors to the chapel opened and kids started coming out of the doors.

When the coast was clear, Jonathan and Jennifer stepped into the chapel. Father O'Rourke and Sister Sara Jane were slowly walking towards the door.

"Hi, can we help you?"

"Father O'Rourke, and Sister Sara Jane?"

"That's right."

"You two probably don't remember me. It's been awhile since I've been here. My name is Jonathan Hart".

"Little Johnny? Why, you're all grown up?"

"Yes, I am. Tell me something, do you two still treat the other kids the way you treated me?"

"What do you mean?"

"I think you know what I mean. I'm talking about the grueling exercise sessions, the cold showers, the beatings and the mind games you two played with me".

"I don't recall beating you son".

"Oh? Perhaps you'll remember if I show you my backside. You surely saw it often enough".

Jennifer squeezed Jonathan's hand.

"And you. Every time he would beat me, you would tell me that you were proud of me for taking it. As if that's an accomplishment. Do you have any idea what that did to me?"

"Son, if you were punished by either one of us, it was because of your actions, not ours. We were simply carrying out what God wanted".

"That's pathetic bullshit and you know it! God is not an abusive piece of crap like the two of you. I refuse to believe that God wanted you to send electric needles up my fingernails. Or pull my chest hairs off my skin with tape. Or beat me with a leather strap and then pour alcohol on my open flesh. And for your information, I took a lot of beatings from you for things I didn't do-to protect the younger kids who wouldn't have been able to handle what you dished out. And let's not forget the times you two just assumed I was the guilty party and beat me anyways, even though I didn't do anything to deserve it. No matter what I did, it was never good enough for you. **I** was never good enough for you".

Something in Father O'Rourke clicked.

"That's right, you weren't. You weren't good enough then, and you certainly aren't good enough now. You are never ever going to take me down, son."

Jennifer squeezed his hand to reassure him.

"Darling, let's just go".

He took a deep breath and then stared down Father O'Rourke.

"I didn't have the power to stop you then. But I sure as hell have the power to stop you now. I am going to make it my life's mission to see that you never lay a hand on any of these kids ever again. That goes for both of you".

"How are you going to do that? Last time I checked, you still don't have the power to stop me from doing anything".

"Don't worry about that. It will all become clear soon enough. You two sure as hell tried to break me, and you got some good deep cuts in, I'll give you that. But you didn't destroy me. My cuts and scars healed over, and in spite of everything you did to me, I am still a successful, intelligent human being. All those times you used to tell me I wasn't going to amount to anything as you were beating me-well you were wrong. All those cold showers you gave me afterwards because you said I wasn't worth anything-you were wrong. I'm still here. And thanks to this lady by my side, I'm stronger than ever and I'm done being angry over what you did to me. You two don't have a hold on me, anymore. I just had to see your face when you found that out".

Jonathan and Jennifer turned and walked back to the office.

They walked back inside.

"Hi. Who did you tell me ran this place?"

"Father O'Flanagan. His office is right across the street in the Catholic Church".

"Thank you".

They headed out and headed across the street.

"Hi, we are here to meet with Father O'Flanagan".

"Yes, right this way".

They were led into an office.

"Hi, I'm Father O'Flanagan."

"Hi, I'm Jonathan Hart. This is my girlfriend Jennifer Edwards".

"How can I help you?"

"Well, it's more about how we can help each other. I was an orphan across the street many years ago. And I wasn't ever adopted, I aged out. Father O'Rourke was the ruling priest at the time, and Sister Sara Jane was glued to his side".

"Yes, I have heard that".

"Well, to make a long story short, they were abusive towards me. Physical beatings, with paddles, belts, sticks, you name it. Cold showers, mental games, the whole nine yards. There was also some torture involved. I can tell you I wasn't sexually abused there, but I was abused in just about every other way by the two of them. Now, I see where you all need a new roof, and I'm happy to pay for an expansion to give the kids more room. I own my own company, and I'm even happy to host a yearly fundraiser and donate all the proceeds directly to the orphanage".

"That would be amazing".

"There's just two conditions. One is, Father O'Rourke and Sister Sara Jane are to have zero contact with the children. And two, all physical abuse of the children especially in terms of punishments, ends right now".

"Mr. Hart, a new roof is going to run you about $300,000 for a building that size".

"Father O'Flanagan, I own Hart Industries. I make at least 4 times that amount in an average day".

"I see. Well, I can guarantee that there won't be any physical discipline. We haven't used physical discipline in years. As far as removing them, that will be up to the Diocese and I will definitely plead your case."

Jonathan pulled out his wallet and pulled out a business card.

"Here, if they have any questions, have them call me next week".

"I certainly will. And son, I hope you have some happy memories of your time there."

"I have a few. Not a lot but a few".

"Well I hope you are able to make other happy memories in your life".

"Yes, father, I am".

They thanked him, and headed out.

"Feel better?"

"As well as I can, I suppose. I realize now an apology was too much to hope for. I hope I never see those sadistic people ever again".

Jennifer agreed.

"Father O'Rourke gave me the creeps".

"He's good at that".

They drove back to the airport, and boarded the plane.

After they got settled, she looped her arm through his.

"I know you have a negative connotation when people tell you they are proud of you. But I am in fact, proud of you. I think what you did took a lot of courage, and I don't think the Jonathan I knew 3 months ago would have been able to do that".

"Thank you".

She kissed him and then rested her head on his shoulder.

"Ok, so tonight, Max and I are going to have a talk. And then tomorrow, you and I leave for Hawaii for the next four days".

"Wonderful".

He turned on the tv and found them a show to watch till they landed.

Max picked them up at the airport, and drove them to Jennifer's apartment.

"I'll be right down Max".

He carried her bag for her, and they rode the elevator up to her apartment.

He carried her bag in and set it down.

"Ok gorgeous, I'll call you tonight when I head to bed".

She nodded.

They shared a few passionate kisses, and then he headed back downstairs.

She spent the rest of the day packing, doing laundry, and finishing up some articles.

She called her dad and told him she would be in Hawaii for the next couple of days, and they would touch base when she got back.

She climbed into bed and turned on a movie. She was just about to drift off to sleep when the phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Answer the door in 2 minutes".

"Ok".

She got up and threw on her robe, and then headed to the door.

Jonathan was on the other side.

"Hi. I thought you were talking with Max tonight".

"It went better than I thought. And then he went to a poker game. So, I figured why spend the night alone when I could spend it with you. And there's something I want to talk to you about".

"I see".

He followed her to the bedroom, and climbed in bed next to her.

"Darling, what do you think about writing an article about Father O'Rourke and Sister Sara Jane?"

She hesitated.

"Darling, that's not a good idea. You said yourself you didn't want to just anyone to know about what happened to you. We introduced ourselves to them today, so if I print the story, then they will know it's your story that I'm telling. And what's keeping them from heading to the press themselves?"

"Damn. I hadn't thought about that. I just figured if you wrote a story about them, it would drum up some donations".

"Well, what if I wrote a positive story about the orphanage itself? Put the spotlight on the kids, not on those two".

"I like that".

"Darling, did you pack for Hawaii?"

"No, but I can do that in the morning".

She curled up on his chest.

"Darling, can I ask you something?"

"Of course, you can".

"Have you ever been to a doctor to make sure you don't have any lasting physical scars from what they did to you?"

"Several years ago, I went to Susan, when my back was hurting. It was awkward, but she had me disrobe and do some x-rays. She showed me on an x-ray where my tailbone and my hips had these little lines in them, and told me that those were consistent with hairline fractures. She asked me if I played football or a contact sport as a kid. I told her no, I grew up in an orphanage. I think she put the dots together but I never said the words to her. To answer your question, I don't believe I have any lingering physical issues".

"Wonderful".

He stroked her hair and ran his hands across her shoulders.

"Are you…ok if we don't do anything tonight?"

"I'm absolutely ok with it".

He kissed her tenderly and then held her all night long.


	17. Chapter 17

***The next day***

Jonathan and Jennifer got up early, and headed to the house so Jonathan could pack for Hawaii.

Max was in the kitchen.

"Hey you two. I thought you two was gonna be in the air by now".

"Not just yet, Max. Later today".

He unpacked his treatment center suitcase and she took the dirty clothes to the laundry room while he packed the clean ones.

Max approached her in the laundry room.

"Miss Edwards, if you don't mind me saying so, I think it's really nice how you are sticking by Mr. H. if he didn't have you, he'd be bad off for sure. He really and truly cares very deeply for you".

"I don't mind you saying so, at all, Max. I really care very deeply for him as well".

"You are the first lady he's opened up to, and the first lady who's gotten him to open up to himself about all that horrible stuff they did to him."

"I had a feeling. I hate that he's having to relive it, but I think in the long run, it will be better for him than holding it in".

"I agree. Again, he's like a son to me, so I just wanted to say thank you".

"And thank you for taking such good care of him".

She returned to Jonathan.

"Almost ready?"

"Yeah, where did you disappear to?"

"I was talking with Max".

Once he was ready, they headed to the living room.

"Ok Max, we are ready to go, and we will be back in 4 days".

"Mr. H., why don't you let me drive you two to the airport?"

"Sure, we can do that".

"Darling, should we take Jack something special? I mean, he's flown us a lot the past couple of days".

"Yeah, that's a good idea. Hang on".

He went to the bar and got a brand-new bottle of whiskey.

"He'll like this".

"Perfect".

They headed to the airport and boarded the plane.

Jennifer snuggled up next to Jonathan just before takeoff.

"I'm so glad we get some time together".

"Yeah, me too. I really thought I had lost you several weeks ago, I didn't think we would ever have this chance".

"I'm not that easy to lose, Jonathan".

"And for that, I'm eternally grateful".

She propped her feet up, while he turned on a movie for them.

"So, where are we going?"

"Maui. And I found us a very private resort, with an ocean view room".

"Sounds heavenly".

"So, while I was away, did you write any articles?"

"Yes, several. And they've all been sold".

"That's great!"

"Yeah, it's very thrilling to open a magazine and see your own name in print".

"I bet".

They relaxed and watched the movie, and she fell asleep on his shoulder. He woke her up just before they landed.

"Hey…wake up. We are about to land".

"Wonderful".

"Have a nice nap?"

"Yeah, I did".

Once they landed, they exited the plane, and took the resort shuttle to their resort.

"We are staying at the Four Seasons Resort and Spa".

"How wonderful! Everything is so pretty".

They had a nice easy ride to the resort and got checked in.

Their room was spectacular. It had a king-sized bed, a flat screen tv with surround sound, and panoramic views of the ocean from the balcony.

"It's absolutely gorgeous!"

"Yeah, it is".

They decided to order up some room service, and relax in the room for a little bit.

Jennifer stepped into the bathroom and slipped into black spaghetti strap mesh and eyelash lace teddy with pushup cups, and an open, strappy back.

She put on a black robe with it, and started fixing her hair.

"Darling, are you getting comfortable?"

"Yeah, I am".

She put the robe on and came out, to find that room service had just arrived.

They climbed in bed and fed each other bites of their sandwiches and fries.

Jonathan's sandwich had this mustard bechamel sauce that Jennifer loved. Jennifer's sandwich was on sweet bread that Jonathan loved.

After they were finished eating, Jonathan rolled their cart into the hallway and then came back to bed. Jennifer was under the covers.

He climbed in bed and wrapped his arms around her.

They wasted no time.

He grabbed her face and kissed her, and ran his fingers through her hair.

He rolled on top of her and moved his kisses to her neck, and then untied her robe.

"You like it?"

"I love it. I love anything you wear".

She ran her hands up and down his back as he kissed her sweetly.

He moved his kisses down to her breast, and took her taut nipple in his mouth.

"Mmmm".

He reached over and squeezed the other one.

She guided his hands behind her to the hook and eyelet closure so he could undo it. He slowly peeled the teddy off her, and tossed it to the side.

She started tugging at his boxer briefs, and pushed them off his hips.

She dragged her fingernails up his back, driving him wild.

He reached over, grabbed a condom and quickly put it on. She adjusted the pillows and then slid her hips down to meet him, as he quickly thrust himself inside of her.

She flattened her feet against the bottom of his feet, and splayed her legs open farther as he sank himself inside of her over and over again.

"Oh yes…just like…that".

She dug her nails into his shoulders.

"Oh..baby…."

She laced her fingers through his and kissed him.

"Ohhhhhhh".

He went a little faster and then took them both over the edge, holding her as they calmed down.

They spent the afternoon making love and holding each other, never wanting to let each other go.

***The next day***

Jonathan and Jennifer were by the pool, lying in the sun on a double lounger. She had put on a pink and gray string bikini and some gray flip flops.

Jonathan couldn't help but notice all the other guys staring at her.

"Darling, do you have plans for Thanksgiving?"

"None yet".

"Great. Well, Max is cooking, and I was thinking of inviting Susan and Drew and Laura and James over for a friendsgiving type of meal."

"That sounds lovely".

"I'm supposed to go see my dad at Christmas, but that hasn't been finalized yet. I might see if I can sneak in a visit the week before or the week after".

"That's not a bad idea".

"What about you? How do you normally spend Christmas?"

"Christmas was always a hard day in the orphanage, so I've just sort of ignored it as an adult".

"Well, this year, you can spend it with me. And I promise we will make it the best Christmas you've ever had".

"How do you plan on doing that?"

"Well, we will get a tree and decorate it together. And we can decorate the rest of your house too, and we can go caroling, and drink wassail, and hot chocolate, and make Christmas cookies, and hang up some mistletoe, and we can throw a Christmas party, darling! I love Christmas parties!"

"You do all of that every year for Christmas?"

She nodded. "I love Christmas. It's my favorite holiday".

She flipped onto her stomach, and laid her head on a towel.

Jonathan leaned over closer to her.

"Darling, all the guys here are staring at your butt".

"So? Let them stare. That won't change the fact that I'm sharing a room with you".

He grinned at her and then kissed the back of her hand.

"What do you want for Christmas?"

"Hmmm. Nothing, really. I love sentimental things, not material things."

She was quiet for a few minutes.

"What do you want for Christmas?"

"I'm not sure. Max and I don't really exchange gifts, and I've never had anyone to buy for or buy for me. I suppose I could use some new pajama pants, and maybe some new luggage."

"That's a good idea".

She flipped back over on her back again, and sipped on her drink.

"Darling, do you know any real estate agents?"

"A few. Why?"

"Well, I'm thinking of buying a condo when my lease runs out".

"That would be a good investment".

"I mean, I love living up high. I simply adore it. But, I want a garage and a little bit more space".

She took a sip of her drink and signaled the waiter for another one.

"Darling, does the office ever throw a holiday party?"

"We never have. I'm not opposed to it, though".

"Darling, go with me on this. We could throw one at your house, have it catered, hire a bartender and some wait staff. Rent a bunch of chairs and a few tables, if we need to. I can help you decorate the house for Christmas".

"I love that idea. Let's do it. Sounds like fun".

"Perfect. We can decorate your house Thanksgiving weekend".

"You have the best ideas".

They shared a few short kisses, and then headed to the poolside grill.

"Shrimp and cheese quesadilla. And I'll have one of those yellow drinks that couple over there is having".

"And I'll have the cheeseburger, medium rare, with cheddar, and a side of fries, and a Rolling Rock".

Jonathan gave them their chair number, and they headed back to lay out some more.

Around mid-afternoon, a storm came in, so they headed inside.

"You got a lot of sun today".

"You think so? You got pretty tan yourself".

"I always take the sun pretty well".

They decided to take a nap, so Jennifer changed into her pajamas while Jonathan opened the balcony door and got a breeze going.

She wrapped her arms around him and settled on his shoulder.

"This bed is so comfy".

"Yeah, it is. The bed at the treatment center was so lumpy. I kind of want to donate new mattresses to them, but I'm afraid".

"Afraid of what?"

"That it'll end up in the news. The last thing I need is for someone to see that and think I'm weak".

She sat up and looked at him.

"Jonathan, if someone thinks you are weak without getting to know you, then they are misinformed and uneducated and shortsighted, to say the least. You aren't weak at all, darling. It takes a strong man to deal with his issues and you dealt with them head on and came out even stronger".

"You're sweet. And you're cute. And you make a good point".

"I think donating to the center would be a wonderful thing to do. I'm sure they would appreciate it as well".

"I suppose I could always ask them to keep it anonymous".

"You could. I'm sure they would honor that".

"So darling, I never asked you. What did you do while I was gone?"

"Well, the day you had Max bring me the flowers and the letter, Susan came over and I begged her to help you. And then after that, I just worked on my articles. Deanne called me a few times with questions about the templates, but other than that, everything I did revolved around my articles".

"So, you didn't date anyone or anything?"

"No, I didn't".

"I see".

"Why? Were you going to get jealous or something?"

"Maybe". He smirked at her.

She laid back down on his shoulder and pulled the covers up around them.

"This is nice".

"Yeah, it is".

"Do you think you'll be ready to get back to work next week?"

"Absolutely. I've been thinking about it though-I feel like I should call a staff meeting and just make a blanket statement thanking everyone. And then I thought about making something like a kindness initiative, and saying I'll go first, but I'm not sure that would be believable".

"It's going to be an adjustment for everyone, Jonathan. You included".

"I realize that".

They chatted till they drifted off to sleep and slept for a couple hours.

Jennifer woke up and climbed over Jonathan to get out of bed.

He woke up and kissed her and trapped her on his chest.

"Hi. Have a nice nap?"

"Yeah, I did. Did you?"

"The best".

She kissed him and then climbed off him.

"I'm going to grab a shower".

"I'll make us some dinner reservations".

They ended up going to the hibachi restaurant at the resort, and then took a walk on the beach. Jonathan had brought his camera, and they took a few pictures of them together. He took several of Jennifer when she wasn't looking.

She laced her fingers through his as they walked along.

"Darling…have you ever confronted Pete Arnold like you did Father O'Rourke?"

"No. I was always too embarrassed".

"You have nothing to be embarrassed about".

"I realize that now. I just wish I had realized that then".

They walked a pretty good ways and then turned back and headed back to the resort.

"Darling, how about a drink at the bar?"

"That sounds lovely".

They headed to the bar and found a seat and ordered some drinks.

There was a band playing and everyone was just enjoying listening to the music.

They shared a couple dances in the sand, and then finished their drink and headed to their room.

"I love being on vacation with you".

"Yeah? Well, I'm pretty fond of being on vacation with you myself".

She leaned up and kissed him and then headed to the bathroom to wash her face and put on a nightgown.

She emerged in a leopard print nightgown and black robe, and climbed into bed with him.

They snuggled up and watched a movie.

He reached up and turned out the lights and scratched her back while they watched the movie.

"What do you want to do tomorrow?"

"How about an excursion? They have jet skis, and snorkeling, and glass bottom boat rides".

"That sounds fun".

"And we can have breakfast in bed if you want".

"I want, Mr. Hart, I want. Is there anything you want?"

"Yeah, you".

He rolled on top of her and made love to her and then held her all night long.

***Two days later***

Jennifer and Jonathan were lying by the pool. They were going to take one last walk on the beach before flying home.

"This has been a very wonderful and relaxing vacation, darling. We should make this a tradition".

"Yeah, I agree".

They were walking through the waves, holding hands and kissing as they made their way back to the hotel.

After they checked out, they headed to the airport, and boarded the plane.

He poured them each a glass of wine and they reclined their seats.

"To us. To new beginnings and to a fantastic vacation".

"I'll drink to that".

She clinked her glass with his and then kissed him.

"To new beginnings".


	18. Chapter 18

***A month later***

Jennifer was at Jonathan's house, putting on the final touches for Christmas.

She had decorated his tree, decorated his mantle, and had instructed Max and Jonathan how to put the lights on the house.

After she put the ornaments in place, she went and got Jonathan from the kitchen.

"Darling, what is it?"

"Come on…you get to do the honors".

"Do the honors?"

"Yeah".

She handed him the plug for the lights, and he plugged them in. The tree lit up just perfectly.

"Wow! Darling, it's so beautiful! Great job!"

"Thank you. It really does look gorgeous".

His work party was the next night, so Jonathan and Jennifer cleaned up all the trash and then Jonathan took it outside. Max was making them dinner, so they hung out in the kitchen with him for a bit.

"What are you making Max?"

"Caprese stuffed chicken, with a lemon parmesan sauce, chopped salad with a lemon basil dressing, and roasted veggies."

"Sounds wonderful!"

Just then, the doorbell rang.

Jonathan ran to get it.

"Cocktail, darling?"

"Please".

Jennifer went and made him a cocktail, while he answered the door.

A few minutes later, he came over to the bar.

"Who was at the door, darling?"

"We got a registered letter".

"We?"

"Yeah. It was addressed to you and me together".

She opened it.

 _The pleasure of your company is hereby requested at the home of Susan and Drew Kendall, for their annual Christmas party, Saturday December 19 at 7 p.m. Please RSVP_.

"Oh darn. I was going to go visit my dad that weekend".

"Darling, what if you invite your dad to come here for Christmas?"

"Well, I would, but he usually flies to London the day after Christmas. I don't think he'll be able to make that flight from here. I suppose I could go visit him the 20th and come home early on Christmas Eve".

"You can take my plane if you want".

"Come with me".

"Me come with you?"

"Yeah. I want you to meet my dad, and I want my dad to meet you".

"I'm more than happy to go with you".

"Wonderful". She leaned up and kissed him and then he RSVP'd to the party.

Max came and told them dinner was ready.

They headed to the kitchen, and she realized that Max had lit some candles and set the table all nice.

"What's all this?"

"This, is your late birthday dinner, darling. We are going to celebrate it like we would have if I had been here for your birthday".

"Jonathan, that's not necessary".

"Yes, it is". He kissed her cheek and they sat down.

Max brought their plates and poured them some wine.

After they were finished eating, Jonathan slid a box across the table to Jennifer.

"Happy belated birthday, darling".

She opened it and found the most gorgeous bracelet. It was gold and platinum, twisted with diamond chips.

"Jonathan, it's absolutely gorgeous! I love it".

She leaned over and kissed him a few times, and then held her wrist out so he could put it on her.

"Ok Max", he called out.

Max came and cleared their plates and then brought out dessert.

"Special dessert, just for Miss Edwards on her non-birthday birthday dinner extravaganza".

Jennifer was laughing.

"Birthday cake ice cream pie, with white chocolate whipped cream".

He cut them both a piece and handed it to him.

Jennifer took a bite and moaned.

"Oh my gosh, this is amazing. Max, you've outdone yourself".

"Thank you, Miss Edwards".

She stood up and kissed his cheek and then sat down and finished her dessert.

Max had the kitchen cleaned up by the time they were finished.

"Max, you shouldn't have done the dishes! You cooked, it was my turn!"

"That's ok, Miss Edwards, I don't mind".

Jonathan came up behind Jennifer and wrapped his arms around her.

She reached up and grabbed on to them.

"Max, we are going to head back to Jennifer's apartment. I'll be home sometime tomorrow afternoon. The caterer is coming at 4, and the waitstaff should be here at 4 also".

"And the bartenders are coming at 4:30. I stocked the bar this afternoon, so they should have all they need".

"Got it. Have a good night, you two".

Jonathan went and packed a bag and then they headed to Jennifer's apartment.

***Jennifer's apartment***

They came inside and locked the door behind them. Jennifer turned on the Christmas lights, and some Christmas music and went and changed into some comfy clothes.

"Darling, you have one more present. I waited to give it to you when it was just us".

He handed her a box and then sat down next to her.

She opened it, and found a book with their photo on it.

"Is that from Vegas?"

"Yes, it is".

She flipped through the book and found that it was all pictures of them, in chronological order, from all of their dates.

"The final picture is my favorite".

It was a picture of them from a restaurant in Los Angeles right after he had come home from Washington.

"Why is this one your favorite?"

"Because that was the night that I realized that no matter what happens in my life, whether it's happy or sad, I want you by my side for every bit of it. I am so love with you I can't see straight, and I will love you for the rest of my life without question. And that was when I realized it".

She leaned over and kissed him. "I love you too".

"So, when we were in Hawaii, you mentioned buying a condo. What if we bought a house together instead?"

"You want to live with me?"

"Yeah, I do. And we kind of already are. I mean, we've spent every night together since Hawaii, either here or at my place. It won't be that much different".

"I suppose that's true".

She nestled onto his shoulder as they leaned back on the couch.

"Darling, if you knew you loved me 3 weeks ago, why did you wait so long to say something?"

"Well, at first I was scared, and I felt like I needed to be sure. And then, I knew I wanted to tell you in a sentimental and special way, so I came up with this. And then I had to wait for the pictures to be developed and the book to get put together".

"I love it. You are so thoughtful and romantic".

"You are absolutely the best thing that has ever happened to me, outside of Max. If I didn't have you, I couldn't function".

"You are the most wonderful man I've ever known, and I'm so grateful you want to be with me".

She set her wine glass down, and snuggled onto his shoulder.

"So, what kind of condo do you want?"

"Well, actually, I don't really want a condo. I want a bigger house than I have now. Something with a bedroom downstairs for Max, and a bedroom either across the house or upstairs for you and me, and a patio where you and I can put a porch swing, and a big yard where we can have a pool and a flower garden and whatever else you want".

"That sounds lovely".

"And we will need a couple guest rooms, that we can turn into a nursery or two".

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves, darling".

"You don't want to have kids?"

"I do, but not right away. Plus, we aren't even officially living together yet".

"Give it time, darling".

Her tree revolved, so they watched it for a little bit.

"Darling, did you put up that ornament you got from Hawaii?"

"Yes, I did. It's on the top. It's about to come around".

Just then, the phone rang, so she reached over and picked it up.

"Hello?"

"Hi sweetheart, how are you?"

"I'm fine, Pa. I'm glad you called. I was going to call you tomorrow. How about I come for a visit, next Sunday and stay through Christmas Eve?"

"Well, unfortunately that won't work. I will be in San Francisco, sweetheart. I have a gallery appointment Monday morning, and then when I leave there Monday night, I'm flying to London".

"Oh, I see. Well, what if I came up to San Francisco and met you for dinner?"

"Can you do that?"

"Yes, I can. It's only an hour flight".

"Well, that sounds lovely. Dinner Sunday night it is. I'll bring your Christmas presents and we can meet at my hotel".

"Perfect. And Pa, I'll be bringing someone with me."

"Oh? Who are you bringing with you?"

"My boyfriend Jonathan. I just know you're going to love him. He likes a lot of the same things you like".

"Oh? Like what?"

"Well, you two wear the same sweaters. And you smoke the same cigars, and you both love the Dodgers and me".

"I see. Is he there with you?"

"Yes, he is".

"Look at him and ask him this question. Brooklyn Dodgers or Los Angeles Dodgers?"

Jennifer looked at Jonathan.

"Brooklyn Dodgers or Los Angeles Dodgers?"

"The Dodgers wouldn't be the Dodgers if they hadn't started in Brooklyn".

"Pa, he says the dodgers wouldn't be the dodgers if they hadn't started in Brooklyn".

"Sweetheart, he just passed the first test".

"I'm sure he'll be thrilled. I'll call you in a few days with the reservations, Pa".

"Sounds good, sweetheart. I love you".

"I love you too".

She hung up and looked at Jonathan.

"He says you passed the first test".

He chuckled.

"How many tests are there?"

"Well, he'll probably ask you questions about yourself, and questions about history or politics and questions about what your intentions with me are. Things like that."

"I can easily hold my own in those kind of conversations".

"I'm sorry darling, I just realized I told him we would go to San Francisco. If you'd rather not- "

"It's ok. I can handle it. Plus, I want to make a donation to the orphanage, so we can spend the night, make the donation Monday morning and come home".

"I love that idea".

She got up and put her wine glass in the sink and then turned the tree off.

He took her hand and they headed to bed.

They had gotten into the habit of watching episodes of old tv shows before bed. He turned the tv on and found them one to watch and then stripped down to his boxers and climbed in bed.

She wedged herself behind him and gave him a chest rub.

"Darling, we never used the gift cards from the ball".

"That's right, we didn't. We will have to do that sometime".

"Are you going to make a speech tomorrow night at the party?"

"Just one, welcoming everyone. And I think I'll have Max collect everyone's keys, and be the designated driver if necessary".

"That's a great idea".

She kissed his shoulder and just held him a little.

"Are you wearing a tux?"

"No, I think just a shirt and tie".

When their episodes were over, he turned the tv to the news.

She eased out from behind him and laid next to him.

They were just about to turn the tv off and turn the lights out when the phone rang.

She reached over and got it.

"Hello?"

She could hear someone breathing but they wouldn't say anything.

"Hello? Is someone there?"

She finally just hung up.

"Who was it?"

"Just a heavy breather".

"If it rings again, let me answer it".

"It's fine, darling. They didn't say anything, I just heard them breathing, that's all".

She turned the tv off and they got settled.

They spent the next several hours making love, before falling asleep together.

"Goodnight, I love you".

"Goodnight, I love you too".

***The next day***

Jonathan and Jennifer arrived at his house around 1, and started getting the house ready for the party.

Jennifer was putting the finishing touches on the decorations, and had picked up some party supplies that she was putting out.

She made a big red bow to put on the mailbox, and a centerpiece for the food table.

She also made a tip jar for the bartenders.

Jonathan came in from the yard around 4, and started getting ready. She jumped in the shower right after him and then started getting ready.

She decided to wear a sparkly red one-shoulder top, and some black wide-legged pants and sparkly black heels. She curled her hair just the way he liked and put on the perfume Jonathan liked too.

Everyone started arriving around 6, and by 7, the party was in full swing.

At 7, he grabbed Jennifer's hand and led her to the bar, and then clinked his glass to get everyone's attention.

"I'm about to do a toast, so if you don't have a glass of something, get one. 5-minute warning".

The bartenders started pouring glasses of champagne and the waitstaff started passing them out.

"Ok, so here goes. This has been a great year for Hart Industries, and we have a few exciting things on the horizon. We've made a lot of changes, I've made a lot of changes. And none of the changes would have been possible if I didn't have this gorgeous woman right by my side. If I haven't told you before, I appreciate everything my employees do for me and the company. And if I haven't told you before, I'm sorry I haven't, and I should have. Now, I've decided that starting January 3, when the offices reopen after the holidays, there are going to be some permanent changes. One is, every Friday will be a jeans day. Every employee can wear a nice pair of jeans and an appropriate shirt on Fridays. I'm also removing the policy about not decorating your desk. It's your desk, you should be comfortable. And finally, everyone will get an extra week of vacation time for the year. Thanks for coming, Jennifer and I hope you all have a very merry Christmas or Hanukah, or whatever holiday you celebrate. And this is the most important-no drinking and driving. If you need a ride home, we will give you one, or call you a cab, whatever".

Everyone clapped and then the music started playing again.

Jonathan and Jennifer shared a couple dances and then he headed outside to smoke a cigar with some of the men, while she stayed inside sharing a drink with some of the ladies.

"We are so thankful that you polished some of his rough edges. We miss you at the office too".

"You're sweet. I love him, I'm so proud of him, but I don't miss working for him".

"He's a different man since you came into his life".

"Yeah, he is. He is the one making the changes though. I just pointed them out".

Everyone stayed till around 10, and then started heading home.

By 11, it was just them and Max. He paid the caterer and the waitstaff and the bartenders, and then he and Jennifer collapsed on the couch.

"What a great party".

"Yeah, it was pretty fun. I think everyone enjoyed themselves".

"We have tons of food left over, too. We will have leftovers for days".

They chatted with Max a little longer and then headed to bed.

"Night Max, see you in the morning".

"Night Max".

"Night you two".

They were both so exhausted they fell asleep minutes after they climbed into bed.

***The next week***

Jennifer had stayed with Jonathan every night since the Christmas party, only going home to switch out clothes and to work.

The day of Susan and Drew's Christmas party, she and Jonathan spent a lazy day together before getting ready for the party.

Jennifer put on a sparkly gold one shoulder knee length dress, and some black stilettos. Jonathan put on his best suit with a red and green striped tie.

"I'm so excited we get to spend Christmas together. And I can't wait for you to meet Pa".

"I'm excited too".

Jennifer quickly wrapped Susan and Drew's Christmas gift, and then they drove over.

She could tell he was nervous, as this was the first time he was going to see his friends since he had gone to treatment.

"Darling…did you tell anyone besides Susan that you were going to treatment?"

"No, I didn't."

They pulled up to Susan and Drew's, and parked.

He came and opened the door for her, and then they walked up to the door and rang the doorbell.

She laced her fingers through his as they waited.

Susan opened the door and let them in.

"Hi! I'm so glad to see you two! Come on in".

"Hi, thanks for having us".

"Merry Christmas".

Jennifer handed Susan the gift.

"Oh, how fun! You are so sweet! Merry Christmas, sweetie".

They shared a long hug.

"Darling, would you like a drink?"

"Yes. White wine, please".

Jonathan headed to the bar, giving Susan and Jennifer a moment alone.

"Everything ok with you two?"

"Better than ever. And we cannot thank you enough for helping him."

"My pleasure".

"Well, the food is out, and the drinks are flowing. So, enjoy yourselves-you two earned it".

"Thank you".

Jennifer went and found Jonathan, and they headed to get a plate.

Before long, the ladies stole Jennifer away, and Jonathan went and smoked a cigar with the men.

When the party was over, they said goodbye to everyone and headed home.

"That was a really fun party".

"Yeah, it was".

"There was just one thing missing".

"What was that?"

"Mistletoe".

"Now that you mention it, I didn't see any mistletoe".

They came back to Jennifer's house.

As soon as they went inside, Jennifer turned on the tree and kicked off her shoes.

They sat on the couch and snuggled a bit, watching the tree.

"Are you nervous about meeting Pa tomorrow?"

"A little. If he doesn't like me, then we'll deal with it."

"I'm sure he will. And you're right, if he doesn't, we will deal with it. It won't change anything between you and me, though".

He leaned over and kissed her.

"I've never had to meet the parents before".

"Really?" Jennifer was surprised by that.

"Yeah, really. When I dated Nikki, I knew her dad through business dealings before she and I ever dated. And nobody else I've dated has lasted long enough to warrant a meet-the-parents date".

"My dad can be tough, but I'm sure he'll love you so much that he won't be that tough on you. And if I need to, I'll tell him to back off".

They headed to bed shortly after that.

She put on a pink nightgown that she knew he liked and then climbed into bed.

As they turned out the lights, he wrapped his arms around her and stroked her hair.

"You know, I had fun at the party last weekend, and I had fun tonight, and I really enjoy when we go to dinner parties and seeing people. But that's not my favorite".

"What's your favorite?"

"This".

She kissed him a few times, and then he rolled on top of her and made love to her before they fell asleep.


	19. Chapter 19

***The Next Day***

Jennifer and Jonathan slept in and then made breakfast together.

After they ate in front of the fireplace, Jennifer went to take a shower and get dressed and quickly pack a bag.

When she came out, Jonathan was just finishing up the dishes.

"Darling, you didn't have to do that! I appreciate it, though".

"I was happy to do it".

She leaned up and kissed him.

"Are you packed?"

"No, but when we get to my house, it won't take me long".

"I guess we need to make reservations for dinner somewhere".

"Do you know where your dad is staying?"

"He always stays at the Ritz or the Four Seasons".

"Nice places".

"Want me to call and get us a room?"

"I already did. We are staying at the Heritage".

"Wonderful. What time do you think we should meet Jack?"

"Maybe in about an hour or so".

She leaned up and kissed him, and then once she was ready, they headed out.

Two hours later, they were headed to the airport.

They got settled on the plane, and snuggled up together.

Jennifer laced her fingers through his.

When they landed, they headed straight to their hotel and checked in.

Their room was gorgeous and quaint and very cozy. It was a two-room suite, and each room had a king-sized bed. There was also a large bathroom, and a gorgeous view.

"Oh darling, I love it!"

"Yeah, it is very nice".

"Why did we get a two-room suite?"

"Baby, think about it. Your father is coming here after dinner, right? If we have two rooms, he might not think we are staying together".

"Jonathan, I'm 28 years old. He and I have never discussed it, but I'm sure he realizes that I've had sex by now".

"What time are we meeting your dad?"

"7, at The Slope House".

"That's a very nice place".

"I hope he'll like it. He loves Italian, steaks, and seafood".

"Are you sure you're ok with not staying in the same hotel he is?"

"I'm positive. Knowing my luck, we would be right next door to him, and that would kill the romance".

He chuckled at her.

She got ready for dinner, and then they headed down to the restaurant bar to have some drinks before heading to meet her dad.

"So. what did you want to do tomorrow before we leave?"

"I want to go to the church across from the orphanage and speak with them about donations".

"That's a good idea".

"I just think I would feel better if I don't run into Father O'Rourke at all-and just dealt with the ones across the street".

"I think that's a wise decision."

They sipped their drinks and then when it was time, headed to meet her dad.

Jennifer was wearing a gorgeous bright blue cold shoulder top, with black pants and black heels. Jonathan had on a suit and blue tie.

They took a cab to the restaurant and walked right in.

"Hi, we have reservations for Jennifer for 3 for 7".

"Right this way, ma'am".

They were taken to a table with a lovely view.

"Darling, does your father drink white wine or red?"

"White".

Jonathan ordered a bottle of white wine for the table.

It had just arrived when her father got there.

"Hi Pa!"

"Hi my sweetheart!"

"Pa, this is Jonathan Hart. Jonathan, this is my dad, Stephen Edwards".

"Pleasure to meet you sir".

"Nice to meet you too, son".

"We ordered some wine, Pa. Would you like some?"

"Yes, please".

She poured him a glass and then poured herself some.

"So, Jonathan, how did you meet my daughter?"

"We met when she started working at my company".

"I see. Are you still working for him?"

"No, I'm not. I'm solely writing freelance now".

"Very well. What kind of work do you do, Jonathan?"

"Have you heard of Hart Industries?"

"Yes, I have".

"I'm Jonathan Hart, the founder and CEO".

"Well, that's very impressive".

"Thank you, sir".

"What are your intentions where my daughter is concerned?"

"I love her with all my heart, sir. She is simply the greatest person I've ever known, and I will do whatever I have to in order to make her happy and keep her protected".

"Can't argue with that".

They placed their orders when the waitress came back.

"Pa, how is Walter?"

"He's well. He says to tell you hello".

"How nice. Maybe Jonathan and I can come out for a visit soon".

"That would be lovely".

"How are things in London?"

"Exceptionally well. The gallery is doing more business than usual, thanks to a few local artists who have really caught on."

"That's wonderful".

"How is your apartment, sweetheart? Everything working out ok?"

"Yes, it's fine. But I probably won't be there much longer. I think I want to buy a house or a condo".

"Now don't saddle yourself down with too much, sweetheart. Owning a home is a big deal."

"I can handle it, Pa".

"If something were to break-let's say, you blew a fuse. What would you do?"

"Call Jonathan".

"Great answer, darling".

"Pa, I can take care of things when I need to. And if I cannot, I can either call a repairman, or ask my boyfriend to help me fix it. I will be fine".

"I suppose you will, sweetheart".

After they were finished with dinner, Jonathan paid the check while Jennifer excused herself to head to the bathroom.

"Sir, if I may take a moment while it's just the two of us, I just wanted to let you know that I intend to marry your daughter when the time is right. We have been through a lot and I know without a doubt I couldn't have done any of it without her by my side. It would mean the world to both of us, if we could have your blessing".

"What do you mean by you went through a lot?"

"Well, without going into specifics, she helped me deal with some things that until I met her, I didn't realize I needed to deal with. And I think doing so was the best decision I could have made for myself and for her and I as a couple".

"My daughter is very good at helping people and supporting people through times of crisis, son. It's one of her most admirable qualities. Her instincts are usually spot on".

"I agree".

"As far as I'm concerned, who she marries is her choice. I will support whatever choice she wants to make in that regard. However, don't hurt her. If I have to step in, it won't be pretty, I can assure you that".

"I understand".

Jennifer returned to the table then.

"Pa, want to come back to our hotel with us so we can exchange our Christmas presents?"

"Certainly".

They took a cab back to the hotel, and then went up to Jonathan and Jennifer's room.

She headed to the other bedroom and got the presents out of her suitcase.

"Ok, Pa. You go first. This one is from Jonathan and I".

She handed him a wrapped package.

He opened it to find a new suede coat, and some new leather gloves and a new muffler.

"How lovely, sweetheart. Thank you".

He slid a package across to her.

"Your turn".

She opened it and found a gorgeous pair of tanzanite earrings, and a pretty pink pashmina.

"Oh Pa! I love these! Thank you!"

She leaned over and kissed his cheek.

"Ok Jonathan, you're up".

Jennifer could tell that Jonathan was surprised.

Stephen slid an envelope across to Jonathan.

He opened it to find season tickets to the Lakers'.

"Wow! These are incredible seats! Thank you, sir! Darling, I hope you like basketball".

"I can tolerate it, darling".

Jennifer gathered up all the trash, and then Jonathan came and sat by her on the couch. He wrapped his arm around her and she leaned against his shoulder.

"So Pa, when will you be back from London?"

"Not till May, sweetheart. March at the very earliest".

"I think that's the longest you've ever stayed in London".

"Yeah, I think you're right".

"Jennifer and I might jet over to London for a visit".

"That would be lovely".

Jennifer smiled really big at Jonathan. London was one of her favorite cities in the whole world.

Stephen stayed a little longer, and then decided to head back to his hotel.

"Alright, sweetheart. It's time for me to turn in. It was great to see you".

"It was great to see you too, Pa. I hate short visits".

"Me too. But such is life".

"Sir, it was wonderful to meet you".

"Thank you, son. It was great to meet you as well".

They shook hands and then Jonathan called the front desk and had them call Stephen a cab.

"Sir, they said they would call us when it arrived".

"Very well".

Jennifer scooted closer to Stephen and hugged him.

"I know this Christmas wasn't one of your favorites, sweetheart, but it couldn't be helped".

"Don't be silly. Any Christmas where I get to spend it with two of my four favorite guys is a wonderful Christmas".

"Two of your four? Who are the others?"

"Max and Walter. Darling, Walter is like your Max. He takes the best care of my dad. And Pa, Max is who Jonathan considers to be his dad. He's wonderful. You would love him".

"So, what are you going to do on Christmas day?"

"Jonathan and I are spending it together, that's all I know".

"Well, I'm sure you will have a lovely time".

He handed her another package.

"This is for you, from Walter."

Her eyes lit up.

"Are these…?"

"Yes. Just for you. Some of his signature black white and tan cookies".

Jennifer was giddy with excitement.

"Darling, what are black white and tan cookies?"

"Oh darling, they are the absolute best! Walter makes them. You have a cookie dough crust, with shredded coconut on the top, and you make them sort of oval-shaped. You dip one end into melted chocolate, and the other end into melted peanut butter, leaving a strip of white in the middle. Black, white and tan".

She handed him one.

"These are amazing".

"Yeah, they are really good".

"Sweetheart, are you cooking for Christmas?"

"I'll probably make some of Momma's spanakopita, and mushroom salad. We haven't discussed whether or not Max is cooking a big dinner for us, or what. If he isn't, I might whip up her lasagna, and maybe one of her famous pies".

"Sounds wonderful, sweetheart".

The phone rang, so Jonathan went and answered it.

"Hello? Ok, thank you".

He hung up.

"Mr. Edwards, your cab is here".

"Ok, that's my cue".

"It was great to see you, Pa. Thanks for coming".

She gave her dad a great big hug and then walked him to the elevator.

Jonathan was getting ready for bed when she came back.

"I got him into the elevator".

"Wonderful".

"I think he loved you, darling. And you did very well answering his questions".

She leaned up and kissed him several times.

"Were you serious about us going to London?"

"Very. I have a business deal I'm trying to do over there and I will probably have to go to London sometime in February".

"That's great".

She changed into a nightgown and they settled into bed. Jonathan turned the tv on and found the last few minutes of a basketball game.

"Darling, did my ask you anything special when I was in the bathroom?"

"No".

"Did you ask him anything special when I was in the bathroom?"

"What do you mean by special?"  
"Well, what I mean is…. did you discuss anything with him regarding the future, or any long-term plans…?"

"Well, now I can't tell you that, darling".

"Why not? He's my dad".

"Yeah, so? He might end up being my father-in-law someday, and I can't betray his confidence not even 24 hours after meeting him".

"Jonathan…come on. This is driving me crazy".

"I'm sorry baby. I can't tell you anything".

She eventually gave up the fight.

She fell asleep before he did. He covered her up and then wrapped his arms around her and fell asleep with her.

***The Next Morning***

Jennifer woke up before Jonathan, and snuggled closer to him.

She fell back asleep on his chest and they slept for a couple more hours.

When they woke up, he ordered them breakfast from room service, and they had breakfast in bed.

"Darling, how long did you want to spend at the church?"

"Not very long. I just want to talk to them about doing a donation, and that's all".

After they were finished with breakfast, Jennifer headed to take a shower, while Jonathan rolled their cart into the hall.

Just as she was about to get out of the shower, he stepped in and wrapped his arms around her.

"Oh, great idea".

After a very sexy shower, they got out and got dressed.

They called for a cab, and then checked out of the hotel.

Jonathan had the cab take them to the church, and tipped him to wait for them.

Jennifer laced her fingers through Jonathan's as they walked up to the doors of the church.

Father O'Flanagan saw them coming and opened the door for them.

"Hi, it's wonderful to see you again. Please come in".

"Hi, thank you. You are just the person I wanted to see".

"How can I help you?"

"Well, I wanted to make some donations to the orphanage."

"I see."

Jonathan wrote a check and handed it to him.

"This is very generous, Mr. Hart. We cannot thank you enough. And I'm glad you stopped by, because there were some other developments that I wanted you to be aware of. After our conversation the last time, an investigation was started. And as a result, Father O'Rourke was arrested, and so was Sister Sara Jane Sampson. They are both charged with multiple counts of aggravated child abuse. Father O'Rourke has been put on terms in the diocese-that's a nice way of saying he's been officially suspended from duty. I can assure you he will never work directly with the children ever again".

"I see. So, is there going to be a trial?"

"I believe there will. He was offered a plea deal, but he refused it."

"How much is he facing?"

"8 years per count. He's facing 26 counts, and that number is expected to go up. She is only facing half the number of charges that he is, but she will still have a lot of time to serve if convicted".

"She never physically punished me".

"No, she never physically punished anyone. But she was behind all of it, and she didn't stop him when he got out of hand".

"Well, I hope he gets what he deserves. And her as well".

"I'll be in touch as things develop further. And again, thank you for your donation".

He handed Jonathan a sheet of paper.

"Some of the other children from the orphanage are planning a reunion of sorts. Here is the information sheet about it".

"Thank you".

They shook hands and then Jonathan and Jennifer left.

They had a quiet cab ride to the airport, and boarded the plane.

After they were settled, she turned to him.

"You ok?"

"Yeah, I think so. I'm starting to feel like this might all be ending".

"At least we know they won't be able to hurt other kids anymore".

They had a pretty easy flight, and then Max picked them up at the airport.

"Hey you two, have a nice time?"

"Yeah, we did. Jennifer's dad put me through the ringer".

"Jonathan! He did not! He let you off easy".

They drove to Jennifer's apartment and dropped her off.

"I'll be over in a little bit".

She leaned up and kissed him.

"I love you".

"I love you too".

She went inside and took a bubble bath, and then packed a bag to stay at Jonathan's for a few days. She grabbed the rest of his presents and wrapped them up perfectly.

When she arrived at Jonathan's, he came out to meet her.

She had a bag of presents, her bag, plus a bag of groceries.

"Hi honey".

"Hi gorgeous".

She leaned up and kissed him.

"What are the groceries for?"

"Well, I figured I could make a few things for us to have if we get hungry. I didn't know what your plans were".

She put the presents under the tree, and put her bag in his bedroom. She came and found him in the kitchen.

"Max headed to Vegas as soon as he and I got home. He is working a gig as a Santa at the Children's hospital there, and he's also playing in a poker game for the next 4 days, so it's just you and me here".

"Wonderful".

She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him for several minutes.

"Merry Christmas to us".

"Merry Christmas to us".


	20. Chapter 20

***Later That Night***

Jennifer and Jonathan were in the kitchen, doing the dishes. She had made them her mom's famous ravioli lasagna, artichoke dip, and baguettes with basil butter. Jonathan loved all of it.

After the dishes were done, Jennifer headed to the bedroom and changed into some Christmas pajamas while Jonathan put on his favorite sweatpants and a t-shirt. After they were ready, they headed to the living room. Jennifer turned on the tree lights, and they curled up on the couch under a blanket. Jonathan turned on an old black and white Christmas movie for them to watch and then snuggled with her.

When it was over, he started kissing her neck.

"You are so beautiful".

"Thank you".

"And you're kind….and you're smart…and you're the greatest…ever….at everything".

"What do you want?"

"Besides you? Well, it's almost midnight… and at midnight, it will officially be Christmas day…and that means we get to open presents…"

"Oh no….no, no. I love you, but we have to wait till the morning".

"Do I at least get a hint?"

"Yes. Your hint is…your presents are the ones wrapped in blue paper, darling".

"Oh, that's not fair! Come on, I already knew that".

"Darling, what if we went to bed, and occupied ourselves to make the time pass?"

He leaned over and kissed her.

"You read my mind".

He scooped her up and carried her, stopping only to turn off the tv and then carried her to bed.

She kissed him the whole way there, running her fingers through his hair the whole time.

He set her down on the bed, and she leaned up on her knees. She pulled his t-shirt out of his sweatpants as she kissed him. He reached down and unbuttoned her pajama top. She wrapped her arms around his neck and started kissing him frantically, while he started tugging at her pajama bottoms.

Pretty soon, they were both undressed, and lying together on the bed. He kissed her softly as he massaged her breasts. She pulled the covers up around them, as he leaned up and turned out the lights.

He grabbed her face with his hands and kissed her passionately.

He moved his lips to her neck and sucked on that one spot that drove her wild.

She drew her knees up and dug her heels into the mattress.

He reached over and grabbed a condom out of the nightstand and quickly put it on and then climbed back on top of her again. She pulled him closer to her and kissed him and nibbled on his lower lip like he loved.

"I want you…"

"I want you too".

He kissed her as he entered her and found her core. As he expertly sank himself inside of her over and over again, she called out his name and dug her nails into his shoulders.

He took them to the peak together, and they clung to each other as they calmed down.

As soon as they were recovered, they rolled over and did it again.

They stayed up till almost 4 a.m. making love, and then they were just about to fall asleep when Jennifer sat straight up.

"Jonathan! You never locked the doors! Someone could have come in here and seen us!"

"Nobody came in, I promise. I'll go check the doors".

He got up and put a robe on and went and checked the doors. Even though they were all unlocked, he decided to tell her they were locked, to ease her mind.

He locked all the doors and turned out all the lights and then came back and climbed back in bed with her.

"Everything's fine. All the doors are locked. It's just you and I here in the house".

"Thank you, darling".

He kissed her cheek and they fell asleep within seconds.

***Later that morning***

They slept till almost lunchtime. When they woke up, Jonathan went and started the coffee while Jennifer grabbed a quick shower and then joined him in the living room.

"I made sausage balls and a sausage egg casserole, darling. Want some?"

"Yes please".

She leaned up and kissed him, and then headed to the kitchen to put it all in the oven.

Jonathan popped a bottle of champagne, and made them mimosas.

"Great idea, darling."

She clinked her glass against his.

"Merry Christmas, darling".

"Merry Christmas". He leaned over and gave her the most perfect kiss, and then they took a sip.

They spent a lazy afternoon eating brunch and opening presents.

Jennifer had gotten Jonathan several sweaters, a couple new ties, a new briefcase, some new sheets, some new towels, and a remote-controlled helicopter. Jonathan got Jennifer some silky nightgowns, a gold and ruby bracelet, a nice gift card to the place where she gets her toes done, a case of her favorite wine, and a new purse.

She threw her arms around him and kissed him.

"Thank you, darling".

"You're welcome".

He kissed her for a few minutes and then they turned on some Christmas movies. He built them a fire and then played around with his helicopter.

Around 5, the phone rang, and Jonathan leaned over and answered it.

"Hello? Hey...I see…. yeah, that sounds like fun…. I tell you what… have everyone come here. Yes, I'm positive. Ok, see you in a little bit".

He hung up.

"Darling, that was Susan. She said she and Laura were talking and they wanted to have a Friends Christmas dinner type thing tonight, so I told her to have everyone come over here, since we have tons of food".

"Great idea".

"They are on their way".

"Great. I'll start getting everything out".

"And I'll get out the cocktails".

Jennifer got out stuffed mushrooms, the rest of the artichoke dip, some chips and salsa, and she quickly made a veggie tray with ranch. Jonathan got out all the mixers and alcohols and got down the fancy glasses.

Susan and Drew were the first to arrive, followed by Laura and James. Bill and his date Mandy arrived last.

"Hi, come on in, come in".

"Hi, thanks for letting us just ambush your house like this".

"Are you kidding? Ambushing us was a great idea".

The ladies followed Jennifer into the kitchen, while the men followed Jonathan to the bar.

They helped her bring all the trays to the living room, and then the men headed to the patio to smoke a cigar.

"So, did Jonathan give you anything…. round…for Christmas?"

"Yes, he did. This bracelet".

She held out her wrist to show them.

"Anything smaller?"

"He didn't propose if that's what you're asking".

"What? I just knew he was going to!"

"I tried not to get my hopes up, but no, he didn't. And it's ok, I mean, we are finally on solid footing, and he just met my dad two days ago".

"If he asked you, would you say yes?"

"Yes, I would. And I would insist on our engagement being at least 6 months away. I think he and I need a few more months together before we get married".

"That's smart. Drew and I rushed into our marriage and there are times where I feel like I don't really know him".

"That's what I don't want Jonathan and I to fall into. Just when I think I've learned everything there is to learn about him, I find out something new. I hope that never stops".

The men finished their cigars and came back inside to sit with the ladies. Jonathan put his arm around Jennifer and she leaned back against his shoulder.

"I have a great idea. What if we all took a trip together?"

"Yes! That sounds fabulous! Where do you all want to go?"

They tossed around ideas and finally decided on a Hawaiian cruise.

Jennifer agreed to make all the arrangements.

"What are you guys doing for New Year's Eve?"

"Drew and I are going to be flying to Tucson for his sister's wedding".

"And Laura and I are going to Bermuda for our anniversary".

"And I'll be flying to Olympia for work for the next three weeks".

"Well darling, I guess it's just you and me for New Year's".

"I'm sure we can have just as great a time".

Around 10, the ladies went and helped Jennifer with the dishes, and the men went outside to smoke another cigar.

"So what month works best for everyone to take a trip?"

They all agreed on February. Jennifer was already excited thinking about it.

As soon as the men came back inside, everyone left and Jennifer and Jonathan headed to bed.

She put on one of the new nightgowns he had given her, and snuggled up to him.

It was bright blue, spaghetti strap, and had ruffled panties to go with it.

They chatted about the future and their upcoming plans till Jennifer fell asleep.

He held her in his arms and kissed her forehead.

"Goodnight, I love you".

***New Year's Eve***

Jennifer was at her apartment, working and counting down the hours till she saw Jonathan. He had gone into the office, and was coming by to pick her up. They were going to cook dinner and spend the evening at his house.

She finalized their vacation plans, and decided to call everyone and tell them what was going on.

She called Laura first.

"Hello?"

"Hi Laura, it's Jennifer. Listen, I just booked our cruise. So, the dates are February 16-21, we fly out of Los Angeles the night of the 15th, to Oahu, and we will hit the main spots, and then return there 6 nights later".

"That sounds wonderful. But unfortunately, I spoke to my boss at the law firm, and I won't be able to take my vacation then, because we have 3 trials going on at that time. James and I hate to miss it, but you guys have fun".

"Bummer. Alright, well maybe next time".

She hung up, feeling sad that they weren't able to come.

She called Susan next.

She filled Susan in on the itinerary.

"Oh, and we leave February 15, and come back the 21st".

"Well that sounds great, but unfortunately, Drew and I have had some unexpected expenses that caused us to dip into our savings pretty heavily. So, we are going to have to sit this one out. But you guys have fun".

"Well darn. Ok, thanks".

Jennifer hung up and then cancelled the trip all together.

She was upset so she decided to take a break from her article, and went to take a bubble bath.

She had just gotten out when Jonathan got there. She heard him come in.

"Baby, you here?"

"Back here".

He came into the bedroom.

"Hi".

"Hi beautiful".

She leaned up and kissed him and then quickly got dressed.

"Darling, did you book the trip today?"

"Yes. But nobody else can go, so I canceled it".

"What do you mean they can't go?"

"Well, I made all the arrangements and I kept it strictly to what we all agreed to on Christmas night. But then when I called to give them the details, Susan said she and Drew couldn't afford it, and Laura said her boss wouldn't give her the time off. So, apparently, they don't want to vacation with me, so I just canceled it altogether".

"I'm sure that's not the case".

"They were your friends first."

She quickly packed a bag and then they headed out.

"Max picked up some steaks and made some sides to go with it. He's been marinating the steaks all afternoon."

"Wonderful".

She laced her fingers through his as they drove to his house.

"How was your meeting today?"

"Productive. I think we are going to do a really, solid business deal".

"That's wonderful".

He pulled them up into the garage and parked.

They headed inside. He took her bag to the bedroom while she talked to Max.

"Hi Max".

"Hi Miss Edwards, great to see you".

She came over and kissed his cheek.

"I made you twos a real special dinner. Primo steaks with a new recipe I'm trying-called Cowboy butter to dip it in. I also made a chopped salad with a lemon parmesan dressing, and some rice with basil and parmesan".

"That sounds amazing, Max. How can I help?"

"You can't. I got it under control. Table is set, food is cooking. All that's left is for Mr. H. to grill the steaks".

Jonathan came back in the kitchen and wrapped his arms around Jennifer. She leaned back against him.

"Mr. H., the steaks are in the fridge waiting on you to grill them. The cowboy butter is right here, the rice is in the oven, with 20 minutes to go, and the salad is made and in the fridge with the dressing in the shaker bottle next to it."

"Thanks, Max".

"Max, why don't you eat with us?"

"I would love to, Miss Edwards. But I have a poker game calling my name".

"Have fun, Max".

"Hope you win, Max".

They headed to the living room and Jonathan poured them each a glass of wine. Once the oven timer went off, Jennifer took the rice out, and Jonathan went to start the grill.

She walked out there with him and stood with him while he grilled the steaks.

He could tell she was still upset about the trip.

"Darling, there will be other trips".

"I know. It's just so strange that they both canceled. They seemed perfectly happy with me planning it, and I planned everything they asked for".

"Jennifer, it's ok. There will be other trips".

Once the steaks were finished, they took them inside and quickly made their plates. Jonathan fell in love with the cowboy butter, and Jennifer loved the lemon parmesan dressing.

They did the dishes together and then just hung out on the couch the rest of the night. Jonathan gave Jennifer a back massage while they watched a movie, and then just held her.

Their movie ended with just a minute to go before midnight.

"Ok darling, this is it. 10…9…8….7….6….5….4….3….2….1…. Happy New Year".

"Happy New Year".

She leaned over and kissed him for a long minute, and then they turned everything off and headed to bed.

He wrapped his arms around her and she nestled back against him and they fell asleep.

***Two weeks later***

Jennifer was at her apartment, working. She had just started an article on women in prison with children on the outside.

The phone rang, but she was so in the zone, she didn't answer it. Her answering machine picked up.

"Hi, Jennifer-it's Susan. I was calling to see if you wanted to have lunch sometime this week. Call me". Click.

She finally took a break about 2 hours later, and called her back.

"Hello, Kendall Medical Group, how can I help you?"

"HI, this is Jennifer Edwards. Can I speak to Dr. Kendall please?"

"Hi, I'm sorry she's with a patient. But she left a message that if you called, we are to tell you that she actually cannot do lunch this week because she's booked solid. She apologizes".

"Ok, thank you".

She hung up and was just about to get back to work when Jonathan called.

"Hello?"

"Hey. It's me".

"Hi."

"What do you say to dinner tonight?"

"I say yes".

"Perfect. I'll make us some reservations. Want me to pick you up?"

"Oh, that's ok. I can meet you at your house to save time".

"Ok. Well, I'll be home around 5:30. Max should be there after 4".

"Great. I love you".

"I love you too, more than you know".

She blew him a kiss as she hung up the phone and got back to work.

Around 5, she headed to Jonathan's.

She rang the doorbell and Max let her in.

"Hi Miss Edwards, come on in".

"Thanks, Max".

She came in and poured herself a glass of wine.

Just before Jonathan got home, there was a knock at the door.

"I'll get it Max".

She opened the door and found a man on the other side.

"Delivery for Jonathan Hart".

"I'll sign for it, thank you".

She quickly signed his clipboard, and then he handed her the envelope.

Jonathan was pulling up into the garage.

"Thank you".

She closed the door and went to meet him in the kitchen.

"Hi".

"Hi gorgeous".

He leaned down and kissed her.

"You just got this delivery".

"Oh, good".

She followed him to the bar and he started making himself a drink.

Once his drink was made, he opened the envelope.

"Oh, I wondered when this was going to come".

"What is it?"

"Well, every year, Susan and Drew have a dinner party, and the guest list is so exclusive they have the invites delivered by messenger. It's always a blowout bash-3 caterers, a tent in the yard, full bars set up in the tent and inside the house, a dance floor, multiple bands. It starts at 5 and goes till midnight at the earliest, but it's always, always, always a really good time".

He handed her the envelope.

"Put this on the fridge, will you? I'm going to run change my shirt".

She took the invitation to the fridge, and couldn't help but notice the envelope. It was addressed to Jonathan only. Not Jonathan and Jennifer, and not Jonathan plus one. Just him by himself.

She clipped it up on the fridge and then went back to the living room.

Jonathan came out of the bedroom, and they sat on the couch for a bit with their drinks.

She told him all about her article.

"I'm going to have to go interview some of these women in prison in person. How far is San Bernardino from here?"

"About an hour".

"I think I'll go there sometime next week".

Once they finished their cocktails, they headed to dinner.

"Did you make us reservations?"

"Yes. How does hibachi sound?"

"Great, actually".

After a nice dinner, they headed back to Jonathan's house and watched a movie in bed.

She gave him a back rub and then a chest rub, and he fell asleep on her chest.

She rubbed his temples and gave him a scalp massage till the news was over, and then eased out from under him, and turned out the lights.

She kissed his cheek and then fell asleep next to him.

***Two weeks later***

Jonathan and Jennifer were at his house.

"Darling, I really think it's an oversight. I think if you just came with me to the party, it won't be a big deal at all".

"I disagree. And I don't want to go where I'm not wanted. It's fine, I was planning on going to the prison that day anyways, for the final interview. I probably won't be back in time, so you just go and have fun".

"Why do you think you aren't wanted?"

"Let's look at the facts. They said they wanted to go on a trip with us, and when asked when, they picked February. Then I plan the trip the very next day, like they agreed to, and they both canceled. Then Susan calls my apartment and leaves me a message asking me to lunch. Not one hour later, I call back and she's suddenly booked solid and has her receptionist tell me it was an oversight. And then you get an invitation to a party that's so exclusive they send the invites by messenger, that only has your name on it. And by the description that you gave me of the party, it sounds to be more expensive than the trip they bailed on. And in all that time, she hasn't called me once, or invited me to go anywhere. It's like I'm invisible."

"I see your point. Well, I don't want to go without you."

"Jonathan, I already told you, I won't be able to get back from the prison in time. So, you should go to the party".

"Only if you're sure".

"I'm sure".

They finished getting ready for dinner, and then headed to La Scala. They had a lovely meal, and just as they were leaving, Susan and Drew were coming in.

"Jonathan, hello".

Jennifer turned to Jonathan.

"I'll be in the car, darling".

She brushed past them and headed out.

"What was that about? Jonathan, is she upset with me or something?"

"Susan, I'm friends with you, and I'm in love with her. I think the best thing for me to do is not get involved and just tell you to call her and work things out".

"I'll do that".

He said his goodbyes and then headed to the car.

They drove back to his house in silence, and then went inside.

They changed into their pajamas and settled into the bed to watch tv.

The program they were watching was on how much weddings cost compared to 25 years ago.

Jonathan was making comments about how ridiculous the costs of weddings were.

Jennifer had a sinking feeling in her stomach that their fairytale romance was about to end.


	21. Chapter 21

***Dinner Party***

That morning, Jennifer woke up with Jonathan and got ready. They were going to leave at the same time.

"Be careful darling. That stretch of highway is pretty desolate".

"I'll be fine, honey. Honest. Have fun at your party".

"You can come crash here if you want to when you get home".

She leaned up and kissed him.

"I love you".

"I love you, too".

She made it to the prison rather easily, and got all checked in for a visit.

This time, she was interviewing a lady who murdered her husband for the insurance money. She was sentenced to 40 years in prison. They talked about what it was like to see her kid grow up without her, and how weird it was to see life going on outside, while it seemed to stand still inside.

She stayed there all day with the lady, and was even given a special tour of the cells, the cafeteria, and the prison yard.

She left around 5:30, and headed back to LA.

***Jonathan***

Jonathan arrived at Susan and Drew's for the dinner party.

"Hi, come on in".

He stepped in, and took a glass of champagne from the waiter.

"Jonathan, where's Jennifer?"

He turned to look at Susan.

"She wasn't invited".

"What? I'm positive I invited her".

"Well, she didn't get an invite at her house. And she wasn't included on mine".

He pulled it out of his pocket and showed her.

"Is that what she was upset about at La Scala?"

"That was part of it. Look, I said I wasn't going to get involved- "

"Jonathan just tell me".

"The gist of it is, she feels as though you and the other ladies don't want to be friends with her any longer. I think it started with the cancellation of the cruise. Plus, she said something about how you called and asked her to lunch, but when she called back, your secretary told her you were all booked up and it was an oversight. And then the invitation came only addressed to me, and she got her feelings hurt".

"Jonathan, I'm sorry. I swear, she was invited. She's always welcome, we adore her".

"I know that, and you know that. But I don't think she knows that".

"And the cancellation of the trip-"

"I know. And I promise she will know, but she doesn't know yet".

"Call her and tell her to come over right now".

"I cannot. She took an out of town assignment today, and is probably still driving back".

"Well, I promise, I'll call her tomorrow and work things out".

"I think she would appreciate that".

He stayed at the party till it ended, around 11, and then headed home.

Jennifer was in bed, fast asleep.

He quietly changed and then slipped in bed beside her.

She woke up when he kissed her cheek.

"Hi, have a nice time?"

"Yeah, I guess. Susan asked about you, and swore to me you were invited."

"I see".

"How was your interview?"

"Eye opening. We pay all these tax dollars, and the prisons barely receive any of it. And the prisoners make pennies per hour at their jobs, not even a whole dollar per hour, and more than ¾ of it has to go to their basic living supplies. If they have restitution to pay, the rest has to go towards that, which means the person receiving it will only get a few dollars. That's not right. The whole system needs an overhaul".

They chatted till she fell back asleep on his chest.

He kept telling himself how lucky he was to have her in his life.

***The next week***

Jennifer hadn't heard from Susan, and wasn't expecting to. She told herself it was what it was, and put it out of her mind.

She was working on putting the final finishing touches of her prison article when she got a phone call.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Jennifer Edwards please".

"This is she".

"Hi, this is Andy Grandstone, and I am calling to offer you a position at a brand-new, about to launch newspaper. You would be the featured writer, and associate editor. You would have your own writing space, plum pick of assignments, and all your own equipment".

"Where is this located?"

"New York".

"Thank you, but I'm happy writing freelance."

She hung up, and got back to work. She and Jonathan were heading to dinner that night to celebrate his birthday.

She got all dressed up, in some black pants, a sparkly green wrap blouse, and some sparkly black heels. She put her hair up just the way he liked it, and put on some of his favorite perfume.

She headed to his house and was waiting on him when he got home.

"Hey gorgeous".

"Hi birthday boy".

She leaned up and kissed him.

"Just give me a minute to change and then we can go".

She kissed him again and then he headed to the bedroom.

"Where you taking him, Miss Edwards?"

"Out for a nice dinner, and then to a surprise. Did you pack the bag for me?"

"I did. It's on the dining room table".

"Thanks, Max, you're the best".

She went and put the bag in his car, and then came back in.

"Darling, you ready?"

"Yes, I am".

"See you later, Max".

"Night, Max".

Jonathan insisted on driving, so Jennifer gave in.

She gave him directions and he got the biggest grin when he realized they were going to Palisades Steakhouse.

"Are you excited?"

"Yes, I am. I've always wanted to go here. How did you get us a table?"

"I have connections, darling".

He kissed the back of her hand.

They were seated immediately, and Jennifer ordered a bottle of wine for the table.

After they ordered their entrees, she pulled a box out of her purse and slid it across to him.

"Happy birthday, honey".

He leaned over and kissed her, and then opened it to find a pen made out of solid sterling silver. Engraved on the clip was "I believe in you-Jennifer".

"I love it!"

"When you sign the business deals, you need a nice pen to use".

They shared a few sweet kisses and then their dinner arrived.

She filled him in on her job offer, and how she turned it down.

"Darling, if you want to go work for a paper, I'll support that".

"I appreciate it. This was in New York".

"I see".

After dinner was over, Jennifer picked up the check and they held hands as they walked out to the car.

"Where to now?"

"My place".

He put the top down, and they drove to her place, and went inside.

When they got inside her apartment, she handed him the bag.

"You are going to change into what's in here, and then we will head to our next stop".

After they had both changed clothes, they headed back out. She gave him directions and they were about halfway there when he realized they were going to a Laker's game.

"Darling, did you get the tickets from Max?"

"No. We aren't sitting in those seats. We are sitting somewhere else".

When he realized they were sitting directly behind the bench, he had a smile on his face that couldn't be wiped off.

"How did you do this?"

"When you were away, I stood in line for 8 hours to get these tickets. And I purchased you the birthday package."

"What's the birthday package?"

"Well, you get an autographed jersey, one of the team towels, and we get unlimited drink and concession specials".

"This is great! I love this".

He leaned over and kissed her.

The game started a few minutes later, and Jennifer surprised herself by how much she really got into it.

Just before the end of the third quarter, the ref made a bad call. Jennifer got so mad she stood up and started yelling and cussing and threw him the finger. He tossed her out. She and Jonathan headed out and decided to go to a bar across the street to finish the game.

"I'm sorry, darling".

"It's ok. It was a bad call. I'm a little shocked, I've never seen you feisty like that".

"It happens from time to time".

The Lakers ended up winning by 45 points, which boosted their spirits a little bit.

They headed back to Jonathan's house.

As they settled into bed, Jonathan wrapped his arms around Jennifer.

"You made this the best birthday I've ever had. I love you, and I love everything you did".

She gave him several sweet kisses.

They made love for a couple hours and then fell asleep all wrapped up together.

***A few days later***

It was Valentines day. Jonathan and Jennifer had planned to have dinner at his house to celebrate. She had spent the night at her house the night before since he had to be up early for a breakfast meeting. Around 10, there was a delivery for her. It was a gorgeous bouquet of flowers, in a shimmery white square vase. The bouquet held purple foxglove, pink and white cabbage roses, and purple and white gladiolus.

She dug for the card.

 _Every day with you is Valentine's day. I love you more than you know-Jonathan._

He called her when his meeting was over.

"Hello?"

"Happy Valentine's Day, baby".

"Hi! Happy Valentine's day. And thank you for my flowers. They're beautiful".

"Glad you like them. I should be home around 5:30. Max says we can eat at 6".

"Want to have lunch?"

"Yes, but it would be us plus ten businessmen since I have a lunch meeting".

"I'll pass, thanks. Are you planning on us staying at your house tonight?"

"Well, there's somewhere I want to take you, but other than that, yeah, we are staying at my house".

"Ok. Where are you taking me?"

"All will be revealed soon, darling. I love you, I'll see you tonight".

"I love you too".

She blew him a kiss as she hung up the phone and got back to work on her article.

About an hour later, there was a knock at the door.

She got up and answered it and found Max standing on the other side.

"Hi, come on in".

"Hi Miss Edwards. Mr. H. asked me to bring these to you. He says the instructions say it all".

"Ok, thanks".

After he left, she opened the box. There were books inside. She quickly realized they were house plans, in yearbook form.

 _Pick one and we'll go see it tonight._

She looked all through them and quickly realized that number 3 was her favorite. It was open, spacious, classic, but not archaic, and it was the layout that would afford them the most privacy.

When she got to the end, she found another note.

 _Call the office and tell Deanne which one you picked. See you tonight. I love you-J_.

She picked up the phone and called Deanne.

"Hello, Hart Industries, how can I help you?"

"Deanne, hi. It's Jennifer. Can you please tell Jonathan I pick number 3?"

"Yes ma'am, I will".

"Thank you".

Jennifer decided to go grab a salad for lunch, so she got dressed and headed to the Mexican restaurant down the street.

She was just coming out with her to-go order when she heard her name.

"Jennifer?"

She turned around.

"Hi Susan".

"Hi. You got a minute?"

"Yeah, I do".

"I just wanted to apologize. It was never my intention for you to feel uninvited from the dinner party. I promise you, it was an oversight. And I wanted to call you a thousand times, but I've just been so busy with patients lately, that it just never seemed like a good time. I sincerely apologize".

"Thank you".

"How are you and Jonathan?"

"We're great".

"Good, I'm glad to hear it. What do you say to lunch and a pedicure soon?"

"Sure, just call me".

"I will, I promise. I really never meant to hurt your feelings".

They shared an awkward hug and then Jennifer headed back home.

***Later that afternoon***

Jennifer arrived at Jonathan's house and went inside.

"Hi Miss Edwards".

"Hi Max".

She handed him the box from earlier.

"How about some wine, Miss Edwards?"

"Yes, please".

She sat on the couch and Max brought her wine to her.

A few minutes later, she was all smiles when Jonathan pulled up.

He came and sat by her.

"Hi darling".

"Hi Valentine".

They shared several slow kisses and she did that thing with his lip that he craved.

"Dinner is…. whoa".

They broke the kiss.

"It's ok, Max".

"Dinner is served".

He took her hand and led her to the kitchen.

"Bacon Crusted stuffed chicken parmesan, chopped salad with cilantro avocado dressing, and lemon basil couscous".

"Thanks, Max".

"You're the greatest, Max".

The table was all elegantly set, with candles lit and a lovely centerpiece with roses and carnations.

After a lovely meal, they headed back to the living room.

"Ok, it's present time".

He brought over several boxes and placed them at Jennifer's feet.

She picked one and opened it. It was a pair of running shoes that she had told him she wanted. On top was a note that said "Not this one, the next one".

"Thank you, darling. I love them!"

She leaned over and kissed him. She grabbed his present off the side table and handed it to him.

He opened it to find three new ties, all in shades of blue and gray.

"Gorgeous. Thank you, darling". He leaned over and kissed her.

"Ok your turn again".

She picked another box and opened it to find an overnight bag. Right on top, was a note that said "Not this one, the next one".

She opened three more boxes-a throw for her couch, a waterproof back massage pad for the bathtub, and some new wine glasses. All three had a note that said "Not this one, the next one".

"Jonathan, what is this about?"

"All will be revealed soon, darling".

She opened the final box, which she noticed was much, much thinner than the others.

Inside was a piece of paper that said "Certificate of Ownership". All the other details had been covered in white-out.

"What exactly am I owning?"

"Well, let's go see".

He took her hand and led her to the kitchen.

"Darling, wait, let me get some water first."

She opened the fridge to grab her water bottle.

She noticed that Max had made a lot of appetizers.

"Max, what's all this food for?"

"Just trying out some new recipes, Miss Edwards".

"Darling, we have to go".

"I'm coming, I'm coming".

"We'll be back later, Max".

He hustled her into the car, and they headed out.

"Darling, slip this on".

He handed her a blindfold.

After she had it in place, he laced his fingers through hers for the rest of the drive.

"Darling, I feel so silly".

"We're almost there, I promise. And you look adorable in a blindfold".

"When do I get to find out what I now own?"

"Just as soon as we get to the llama farm, darling".

"You bought me a llama?!"

"Maybe. Maybe I bought you an ostrich".

"Gee, thanks".

They pulled up to their destination, and she felt him park the car.

"Ok, darling. Stay put, and I'll come around and help you out of the car".

After he got her out of the car, he helped her to the best place for the reveal, and then took her hands in his.

"Ok, I'm going to slip off the blindfold".

He kissed her as he slipped it off.

She could tell they were in a room, but it wasn't one that she recognized.

"Darling, where- "

"Take this. Start with room number 1 and follow them in order. I'm going to check some things in another room, and I'll come find you".

She looked down and realized that the piece of paper he handed her was a map.

She headed to room 1.

The first room was a bedroom and bath. It was decorated very nicely, with all the walls painted an eggshell color. It was reasonably spacious.

She headed to room number 2, the living room. She loved all the big windows, and how it had two entrances. The next few rooms were the kitchen, the laundry room, and an office. Then she headed upstairs.

She started on the far end of the hall, in a room that she thought would make a great library. She kept telling herself she hoped this was a house for sale, that she and Jonathan could afford.

After she saw the two bedrooms on that end of the hall, she headed down the other way, and checked out those rooms. She ended up in the final bedroom. There were pictures of them spread all around the room. There were also candles lit next to each picture and bouquets of flowers all around.

Jonathan walked in and came over and kissed her cheek.

"Darling, what is all this?"

"Well, this picture, I took right after I first met you. I knew then that I loved your eyes. And I noticed that your smile lights up a room, darling. And then, as we kept spending time together, I realized that your laugh is even better than your smile. It's contagious, and it's the sweetest sound. And then we went to Vegas and started spending nights together and I figured out that you give the best back scratches ever, and that you make me want to be a better person in everything that I do. And then when I realized I had fallen in love with you, it hit me. Loving you is the easy part-it's like breathing. It just happens. And I started thinking about all the other things about you that I love, like how you always want to hold my hand, and how you are always the prettiest woman in every room, and how you always ask about my day. And then when I finally had to confront my past, I was scared. Scared to death, but with you by my side, it was easy. And I realized that you believing in me makes me want to believe in me."

She grabbed his face and kissed him.

"Darling, remember when Max brought you the box today and it had three books of house plans in it? And you picked one?"

She nodded.

"This is the one you picked. And it was also the one I liked the best, out of the three. And I purchased it, this afternoon. So, the certificate of ownership that you have-it's for this house".

"You bought us a house?"

"Yes, I did. And we will make whatever renovations you want to, I promise".

"I can't believe you did all this. I don't know what to say".

"And I wanted us to start our lives here at this house with you never having to question or wonder how I feel about you. So, I hired someone to paint all the things I love about you, on the wall here. And when we are ready, we will paint over them and seal them into the foundation, so to speak, of our home".

She was so touched she couldn't control the tears.

"I absolutely love this!"

He turned on the lights and let her read everything. After she was done, she turned to him and kissed him. He pulled her hands to his chest.

"Baby, when I met you, I was stunned. I was stunned by how naturally beautiful you are, by how you completely captivated me, by how you accepted me at my worst, long before you ever saw me at my best. And we've grown together and we've dealt with things that neither of us should have ever had to deal with, ever. And you were a rock through it all, and you modeled for me the best way to deal with things. And now, I want to return the favor. I want to be that rock for you. I want to wake up with you every morning, and go to bed with you every night, and I want more than anything to make all your dreams come true."

She let go of his hand and wiped the tears from her face.

He dropped to one knee and held up a ring.

"Jennifer Suzanne, will you marry me?"


	22. Chapter 22

"You want to marry me?"

"I do. If you'll let me, I'll do whatever I can to take care of you and make you happy".

She nodded yes, and held her hand out to him. He slid her ring on her finger and then stood up and kissed her and then picked her up and swung her around.

"I can't believe you did all this".

"I wanted it to be perfect. And I figured what would be more perfect than to propose to you in the home that we are going to live in hopefully for the rest of our lives".

"What room is this?"

"This room will be our bedroom".

"I love it".

"We are going to have to repaint over the lovely sayings though".

"I know. But let's leave them up a little longer".

"From now on, the theme of our lives is "Whatever Jennifer Wants".

He gave her several sweet kisses, and then they blew out the candles. He gathered up her flowers and then gave her a proper tour of the house.

"So up here are 4 bedrooms plus a guest bath and then an open room that I thought we could use as a library."

"I thought the same thing".

They headed down the stairs.

"And down here we have a study, a living room, a bedroom and bath that I was thinking could be Max's room, the kitchen, the dining room, and a lovely patio".

"How did you find this house?"

"I've been meeting with a realtor for weeks, baby. I told her what we wanted and asked her to let me know as soon as she found something. This was the first one that had everything. I was hoping you wouldn't pick up on it, but the plans of the other two were nowhere near what we said we wanted in a house".

"I didn't pick up on that at all. When did you plan this?"

"In the last couple of weeks".

They stopped in the living room.

"I have a confession to make".

"Go ahead".

He grabbed her hands and pulled them to her.

"The reason that Laura and James and Susan and Drew canceled on going on the cruise with us, is because I asked them to. And I asked them to cancel on it, because I want you and I to go somewhere just the two of us to celebrate our engagement. So, tomorrow night, you and I are leaving for St. Thomas, and we are staying 5 days, in an all-inclusive resort, just you and me".

Jennifer couldn't believe it.

She grabbed him and kissed him and let him spin her around.

"I love you so much, Jonathan Charles. And you already made me the happiest woman in the world".

"I love you too, darling".

They shared several kisses.

He locked the house up, and they headed to the car.

He drove them back to his house. She was staring at her ring the whole way. It was a 5 carat, Ascher Cut diamond, with a pave knife edge. The setting was considered a lotus basket and it was all set-in platinum. Jennifer thought it was the most gorgeous ring she had ever seen.

They pulled up into the garage and parked and went inside.

As soon as they walked in, they were greeted by streamers and confetti.

"Congratulations!"

Max stepped forward and handed them some champagne, as Jennifer looked around and realized that Susan, Drew, Laura, James, and Bill were all there as well.

"What are you guys doing here?"

"We couldn't miss the opportunity to celebrate your engagement!"

"She said yes!"

They all went into the living room, and sat down.

"Ok, tell us everything".

"Well, we agreed to spend tonight together for Valentine's day. So, this morning, Max brought me a box with 3 books in it, that had house plans in them. The instructions said for me to pick one, and then call Jonathan's secretary to tell him which one I liked the best. So, I did. Then I came here just before dinner, and Max made us the best dinner. And then he and I exchanged gifts, and he really showed me up".

Everyone started laughing.

"In each gift, there was a note that said 'not this one, the next one'. And the final one was a certificate of ownership, but all the details were whited-out, so he said he would take me to see whatever it was. And he made me put on a blindfold. And then we get there and we are in this room, and he gives me a map and tells me to follow it. And then I get to the final room, and there are all these pictures of us spread around, and all these sweet things painted on the wall".

"What do you mean?"

"Things like 'I love your eyes', and 'I love how you laugh".

"How sweet."

"Yeah, he really poured his heart out to me".

"So, what did they all say?"

"I like your eyes, your smile lights up any room, your laugh is contagious, you give the best back scratches, you make me want to be a better person, you make loving you as easy as breathing, I love how you always want to hold my hand, you are always the prettiest woman in every room, I love how you always ask about my day, I love how you make the hard times seem so easy, and I love how your belief in me makes me believe in me".

The ladies wiped their eyes and said how romantic it was.

"And then he turned on the lights so I could see that he had painted all those things onto the wall, and then he started saying all these sweet things and then he asked me to marry him".

"Were you surprised, darling?"

"100%. I never saw this coming. And it was perfect, absolutely perfect".

She leaned over and kissed him.

"Darling, I've been dropping hints for weeks".

"What do you mean?"

"Well, remember the day I brought home a bridal magazine and told you to circle the rings you liked?"

"Yes. But then remember when we watched that show on tv about weddings and how much they cost and you kept making comments like "$8000 for a wedding? That's insane!".

"It wasn't $8000 for a wedding, it was $8000 for a cake that didn't even feed 100 people".

"What if that's what I want for our wedding?"

"Then I'll tell you that you're insane, and we'll get it anyways".

She squeezed his chin.

"And then he told me that he asked you all to cancel on the cruise, because he's taking me to St. Thomas tomorrow for a week".

"Sweetie, we didn't mean to make you think we didn't want to hang out with you or anything. This was all just a misunderstanding and very bad timing. And the dinner party invite was an oversight. You were always meant to be invited".

"Yeah, we're really sorry".

"It's ok, I'm sorry too."

"What if we plan a trip for all of us in a few weeks?"

"Sure."

"So how soon do you want to get married, Mr. Hart?"

"As soon as you do, I suppose".

"Anyone know the number for a judge that makes house calls?"

"Jonathan Charles, I refuse to get married without my father walking me down the aisle".

"Fair enough".

Susan and Laura grabbed her hand and started staring at her ring.

"Great job, Jonathan. Our husbands have never been this romantic".

"Thanks a lot, Jonathan. You raised the bar for us once again".

"Sorry guys, it had to be memorable and perfect, just like she is".

"So, what kind of wedding do you want?"

"Well, I'm not sure. I mean, I don't really have anyone to stand up next to me. I'm an only child and I wasn't ever really close to my cousins, and all my friends from high school are on the east coast. I've tossed around the idea of a beach wedding. That's still a possibility".

"We would stand up there with you".

"Yeah, we absolutely would".

"You would? Well, that would be lovely. And you two would be really great at keeping me from becoming a bridezilla".

"You could never be a bridezilla, you're two sweet".

"So, it's all starting to make sense. Before we headed to the house, I noticed Max had made trays of appetizers. When did you guys know to come over here?"

"Jonathan called us yesterday and told us that he was going to ask you tonight and asked us to come at 7".

"Ahh. So, that's why we were rushing to get to the other house, so I wouldn't see you guys".

She put her hand on his arm.

"Darling, did you talk to my dad?"

"At the restaurant".

"Ah ha! So, that was the conversation while I was in the bathroom".

"Yes, it was".

"Can we maybe go back and see the house in the daytime?"

"Sure".

She leaned over and kissed him.

Max came and refilled everyone's champagne.

"Ok, I just want to say Miss Edwards, welcome to the family. It feels like you've always been here. And I can't wait to call you Mrs. H., if you'll let me".

"Of course, I'll let you, Max".

They all toasted the happy couple, and then the ladies started looking at Jennifer's bridal magazines while the men started talking about the Super Bowl.

By the time an hour had gone by, Jennifer had a pretty good idea of what she wanted their wedding to be like.

Max had brought the flower bouquets into the living room, so Jennifer and the ladies started arranging them and putting them in vases to set out around the house.

"These are gorgeous flowers".

"Yes, they are. I love cabbage roses, especially white ones".

"So, who do you think the first of us to have kids will be?"

"Drew and I are definitely not having children".

"James and I are pretty content without children too".

"I could go either way-I would be just as happy if Jonathan and I didn't have kids as I would be if we did".

"I can see you guys with a kid".

Everyone stayed till 10, and then decided to head out.

"We will talk to you soon, and congratulations again".

"Sounds great. Thanks for coming by".

They locked up and then went and cleaned up the kitchen. Max was headed to a poker game, so they had the house to themselves.

"Darling, do you want to call your dad?"

"Yeah, I probably should". She did the math, and realized it was 6:30 a.m. in London.

"I'll wait about an hour and then call him".

She wrapped her arms around him.

"Darling, are you going to the office tomorrow?"

"Half day, in the morning. I'll be home by 2."

"Great. That will give me time to pack in the morning, if I leave here when you do".

She grabbed the bridal magazines and took them to bed with them, while he turned out the lights.

She slipped into her nightgown, and then climbed into bed.

Jonathan changed into his pajama shorts and then came and joined her.

He leaned his head on her shoulder while she looked through the magazine.

"Baby…skip ahead to the wedding night section".

"Jona-than…. like I would ever look as good as these women".

"Do you really think you wouldn't?"

"I know for a fact I wouldn't".

She flipped ahead to the lingerie section.

"Take her. I guarantee you, she's had a boob job. And probably liposuction somewhere. And definitely a nose job. And I'm also 100% sure that whatever other blemishes she has, they airbrushed them out and covered them up".

"I will take a woman like you over an airbrushed, silicone woman like that any day".

He leaned over and kissed her.

She finally put the magazine down and reached up and turned out the light.

They spent a couple hours making love and then fell asleep in each other's arms.

***A week later***

Jonathan and Jennifer were returning from St. Thomas today. For the past week, they had soaked up the sun, and soaked up each other, and just relaxed and recharged.

They were in their room, packing their bags, when Jennifer first felt it. It was almost like a strong cramp, across her stomach. It was sharp at first, and then more like a dull ache. She snuck into the bathroom and took some pain medicine without Jonathan seeing.

They checked out and headed to the airport. They had a couple hours before they had to catch their flight, so they decided to grab food and then Jennifer went and got some magazines from a bookstore.

As soon as they were settled into their first-class seat on the plane, Jonathan reclined his feet and took a nap. Jennifer started reading her magazines.

She was reading an article about women's health, and decided to take a quiz. The results caused her to tear up. Just then, she had another pain in her stomach. She took another pain pill, and then tried to take a nap, but it was no use.

Oftentimes, when she was sick, or scared, she would talk in her head to her mom. It was like a comfort thing that helped her feel better. She reclined her feet and then started talking to her mom.

' _Momma, if you can hear me, please just let me make it through my wedding. Jonathan deserves that'._


	23. Chapter 23

***A few days later***

Jennifer was still having cramps and pain every few hours, and so far, she had managed to hide it from Jonathan.

She was at her apartment, working with a heating pad on her stomach, where she had been most of the day.

Around 2, the phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Hi baby."

"Hi".

"I know I said we could do dinner tonight, but I have this meeting that had to get rescheduled and it's going to be a long one. I promise I'll make it up to you".

"Oh, that's ok. You don't have to make it up to me. I'm fine".

"You're the best, baby. Want to spend the night at my house tonight?"

"I do, but I have a ton of stuff to do here."

"Ok, I'll swing by after my meeting is over".

"Wonderful".

"I love you, so much it hurts".

"I love you too".

She blew him a kiss as she hung up the phone.

She was trying to work through the pain, but it was getting worse.

Around 4, the phone rang again.

"Hello?"

"Hi, it's Susan. I was calling to see if you wanted to have dinner?"

"I would…. love to….ohhh".

"Jennifer, are you ok?"

"No, I'm not. I'm having some serious stomach cramps".

"I'm your doctor, remember? You mean like period cramps?"

"Period cramps times about 100".

"Ok, that doesn't sound good. I want you to take a cab to my office. I'll wait for you and examine you myself."

"Ok. I'll see you in a few minutes".

***Kendall Medical Group***

Jennifer came in and found Susan waiting for her.

"You don't have to sign in, just come on back".

They put her in a room, and she changed into a gown, and then a few minutes later, Susan came in to check her out.

After they got her vitals, they started the exam.

"Ok, so tell me what you are feeling".

"Just really bad cramps, that take my breath away. They've gotten worse over the past few days."

"Any bleeding?"

"None".

"Any physical pain during sex?"

"Yes, but please don't tell Jonathan".

"Sweetie, I promise I won't tell him. How did you hide it from him?"

She reached over and grabbed her purse.

"I've been taking 3 every 4 hours like clockwork".

She handed her the bottle.

"Jennifer, I understand that you were in pain. But you've been seriously overdosing on these pills".

"I did what I had to do. 3 of those, plus a heating pad on my back and my stomach and not breathing too deeply, for starters".

"What about when you were with Jonathan?"

"We had some wine, so I had a pretty good buzz going".

Susan did an ultrasound, and then let Jennifer sit up.

"Sweetie, your fibroids have gotten bigger. We need to schedule removal".

Jennifer nodded.

She left the room so Jennifer could get dressed and then headed to the receptionist's counter to meet her.

Ten minutes later, Jennifer still wasn't there, so Susan went to go check on her.

"Dr. Kendall, come quick! Your patient collapsed!"

Susan hurried in there, and found Jennifer on the floor with two nurses next to her.

Susan quickly examined her and found that when Jennifer collapsed, she hit her head on the counter.

"Ok, call an ambulance. Have them take her to Los Angeles General, and admit her. I'll meet them there and sign in".

She stepped into her office and called the hospital and told them she was coming.

And as much as she knew Jennifer would be mad about it, she picked up the phone and called Jonathan.

"Hart Industries, how can I help you?"

"Jonathan Hart, please. This is Susan Kendall".

"Yes, ma'am. One second".

"Hey Susan".

"Hey. Listen, there's an emergency. Jennifer came to see me, and she passed out and hit her head. I've called an ambulance, and she's being taken to Los Angeles General. I'm about to head there now, and I'll be her attending physician".

"I'll meet you there".

"Got it".

***Los Angeles General***

Jonathan got there right after Susan did.

He headed straight to the nurse's desk.

"Hi, my fiancée was brought in just a bit ago. Jennifer Edwards".

"Yes sir. She's in room 324".

"Thank you".

He took the elevator and headed up to her room.

She was fast asleep.

The nurse was working on her.

"Hi, she's my fiancée".

"Hi. She's been asleep since she was brought in. Dr. Kendall will come in and examine her in a little bit".

"Thank you".

He pulled up a chair and sat next to her and held her hand.

"I'm right here, darling".

He leaned over and kissed her.

Susan came in about ten minutes later.

"Ok, we are going to take her for a head CT, and then she'll be right back".

He gave her a quick kiss before they took her off.

When he was alone, he picked up the phone and called Max.

"Hey Max, it's me. Jennifer's in the hospital, and I'm here with her. I have no idea how long we will be here, but I suspect overnight, so don't bother to make dinner or anything. She's in LA General, room 324."

"Got it, Mr. H. Anything I can do for her?"

"Not yet. I'll keep you updated".

He waited another half hour and then they brought her back to the room. She was still asleep.

Susan was right behind her.

"Great news. She's coming out of it. Her CT didn't show anything horrendous. I think what's happening is a combination of everything plus hitting her head".

"What are you talking about?"

"She's been having some female problems, that she managed by taking pain medicine. But she was taking too much for her body, but not enough for the pain. And then I convinced her on the phone to come see me and let me check her out, and she agreed and at the end of our appointment, she passed out".

"She's seemed perfectly fine the last few days. I didn't notice anything".

Just then, Jennifer started stirring.

Jonathan kissed the back of her hand.

She opened her eyes and smiled at him.

"Hi. What are you doing here?"

"You were brought here after you fell at Susan's office. Wild horses couldn't keep me away".

"Jennifer, sweetie, you passed out at my office, and you hit your head on the counter. Do you remember that?"

"No".

"Well, we brought you here and did a CT on you, and it looks ok. You have a nice sized lump on the back of your head. I think you are going to have a headache tomorrow. But you don't have a fracture or anything".

She nodded.

"Now, since you're here, I can go ahead and do the other procedure that we talked about, if you'd like".

"Yes, please".

"Ok. I will give you a couple hours to rest and then we will do it. Should be quick, and I'll numb you for it and then give you something so you'll sleep all night. And I'll have the nurse bring you an ice pack for that bump".

Jennifer nodded.

"Thank you".

"I'll be back to check on you in a little bit. Don't get up without a nurse or Jonathan, here, alright?"

"I promise".

Jennifer raised the bed so she could sit up some.

When they were finally alone, Jonathan leaned over and kissed her forehead.

"When did this start?"

"The day we left St. Thomas".

"Baby, why didn't you tell me you weren't feeling well?"

"Nothing you could have done about it. I didn't expect it go on this long".

"You can tell me anything, you know that".

"I'm sorry. It's just female stuff. I have some fibroid tumors on my uterus and when I first met Susan, she said we would watch them and see if they got bigger. And this week, they have. And we were on the plane, and I took a quiz in a magazine that said it might be cancer. I was just trying to get through the wedding".

"So, you've been in pain?"

She nodded.

"Scale of 1-10".

"8".

"I feel horrible. I wish you had said something".

"Jonathan, you just got out of treatment and we just got to a good place, and got engaged. I wasn't about to rock the boat by telling you I had cancer".

"Jennifer, we can handle whatever we have to. I know that. You showed me that. If you had told me you weren't feeling well, I would have made sure you had whatever you needed. I would have taken you to Susan myself. I would have been with you to catch you when you passed out. Tell me about the quiz".

"I took a quiz in a woman's health magazine. And the results said I needed to contact my doctor, that it could be cancer. I told myself that if it wasn't cancer, it would go away. And if it was, and we could just get through the wedding…"

"If it was, or is, we will deal with it, together. And I will fly in or fly you to see whatever specialists and doctors and whomever you need. I waited my whole life for you. I'll be damned if cancer is going to come in and steal you from me now".

"You're sweet. I'm sorry I worried you."

"I'm going to stay here with you. Want me to go get you a bag from your house or anything? I can send Max for it".

"Don't send Max. I don't want him to feel embarrassed".

"Ok, I'll go pack your bag. What do you need?"

"Nightgown, robe, slippers, toothbrush, toothpaste, brush, and something to wear home tomorrow. Lounging pants are in my second drawer, t-shirts are in the third. And you can just grab a pair of flip flops".

"Want me to pick up dinner?"

"Sure".

He stood up and grabbed his keys.

"I love you, more than you know".

He gave her several kisses.

"I love you too".

"I promise, I'll be right back".

He headed out and found Susan in the hallway.

"Hey, I'm headed to get her a bag from her house. Can you order me a bed so I can stay with her?"

"Sure".

"Is she allowed to eat anything?"

"Yes. I'm only going to give her a local, so she should be fine".

"She just told me she thinks this is cancer. I tried to reassure her that we would deal with it no matter what, but she might appreciate a second opinion".

"Got it. I'll go talk to her".

"Ok thanks. I'll be back soon".

***An hour later***

Jonathan called Max and had him bring them dinner.

"And bring her some flowers, Max. She loves cabbage roses".

"You got it, Mr. H."

Jonathan had quickly packed her bag and then headed back to the hospital.

She was watching tv when he came back in the room.

"Hi".

"Hi gorgeous. I got everything you asked for, and I also grabbed your blanket off the bed since I know you love that".

"Oh, thank you. I forgot about that".

"Max is bringing us dinner".

"Wonderful. I'm starved".

"Did you have lunch?"

She shook her head.

"What was the last thing you ate?"

"The BBQ chicken that Max made us".

"Jennifer! That was two days ago! You mean you haven't eaten in two days?!"

"I was too nauseous to eat".

The orderly brought his bed and set it up next to hers. He promptly kicked his shoes off, lowered the inside rails and then climbed into the bed next to her.

They snuggled up and he stroked her hair.

"Darling, we just got engaged. That means we decided we are going to spend the rest of our lives together. And I've thought a lot about the adventures we might go on, and all the things we will accomplish. But none of that will happen if we don't eat".

She half-chuckled.

Just then, Max came in with their dinner.

"Hi you two. How you feeling, Miss Edwards?"

"Better, Max".

"Now I know I'm not your Pop, I'm just your honorary Pop. But I'm sure he would tell you to take it easy".

She chuckled.

"You're right, he would".

"I picked up burgers and fries for you and me, Mr. H. And Miss Edwards, I got you a grilled chicken sandwich with avocado and sweet potato fries".

"Wonderful, Max. I owe you one".

"Nonsense".

He set her flowers on the table next to her.

"Cabbage roses? I love cabbage roses!"

She leaned up and kissed his cheek.

"Mr. H., I packed you a bag, too. I figured you'd be staying with her".

"Good thinking, Max".

They had just finished eating when Susan came to check on her.

"How are you feeling?"

"Fine. Better than when I saw you this afternoon."

"Susan, we were talking and we figured out that Jennifer hasn't eaten in about 3 days. So, that might be why she passed out".

"I would say so. Why weren't you eating?"

"The pain from the fibroids made me nauseous. Nothing sounded good".

"That's when you should have called me, as soon as you felt that way".

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I've learned my lesson".

"Jennifer, I want you to really listen to me. I am confident that this is nothing more than the fibroids that I told you about when you first came to see me. And I'm going to remove them, and you're going to be just fine, I promise".

Jennifer nodded.

"Now, let me go ahead and give you the recovery instructions while I'm here. You are going to want to take it easy tomorrow, and maybe the next day. You are also going to want to stock up on pads-no tampons this go around. Bleeding should subside in a couple days. Pelvic rest till it does. No heavy lifting for the first 48 hours. And make sure you're eating".

"Got it".

They came and got her for the procedure about 45 minutes later. Max decided that was a great time to head out. Jonathan walked with her as far as he could.

"I'll be in your room when you get done. I love you".

"I love you, too".

She puckered her lips for a kiss and he happily leaned down and gave her a few.

The procedure only took about 40 minutes, and then after it was over, they wheeled her to her room.

He was waiting in the bed for her.

"Hi".

"Hi".

"How you feeling?"

"Fine, I guess. The shot hurt like hell, but after that everything was fine".

"Can I get you anything?"

"Not at the moment".

She laced her fingers through his and rested her head on his shoulder.

Susan popped in a few minutes later.

"Ok, the nurses have pain meds on deck when you need them. As long as you don't have any issues overnight, I'll release you in the morning".

"Thank you, I really appreciate you seeing me today".

"Nonsense. Just doing my job. Jonathan, no mattress dancing, doctor's orders".

"I think I want to change into my pajamas".

"Here, I'll come around and help you up".

Susan lowered her bed rail, and then Jonathan came around and helped her up.

"Can you walk?"

"I think so".

"I'll be back in the morning to check on you. The nurses will be in every other hour to make sure you're alright".

"Thank you".

She changed into her pajamas and then came and got back in bed.

"Darling, I'm sorry I ruined our evening".

"You didn't ruin anything, darling. And from the sounds of it, had you not been brought in, you wouldn't have enjoyed our evening very much".

"Probably not".

They cuddled up as much as they could, and he held her till she fell asleep.

Around midnight, she woke up and asked the nurse for pain meds. As soon as she got them, she fell back asleep.

***The next morning***

Susan discharged Jennifer around 10, with orders to take it easy for a few days.

Jonathan helped her to the car and drove them to her house.

"Did you drive to Susan's?"

"No, I took a taxi".

He helped her out of the car and into the lobby, and they headed for the elevator.

"Can you stay with me some?"

"Yeah, I can. I took the whole day off".

They came inside her apartment and she headed to take a shower while he made them breakfast.

After she was out of the shower, they had breakfast in bed and then snuggled up and took a nap together.

Jennifer woke up first a few hours later. She eased out of bed and headed to the kitchen to make some tea.

Jonathan came in a few minutes later and found her.

"Hey, what are you doing up?"

"I was just making some tea. I didn't want to wake you".

She put the water on to boil and then turned and hugged him.

"When can we move into our house?"

"We close on the last day of the month".

"Great. Guess when I'm recovered, I need to start packing".

"Don't do too much, let me do most of it for you".

"You can definitely come help me do some heavy lifting".

Just then, the phone rang, so she went and got it.

"Hello?"

"Hey Miss Edwards, it's me, Max. Mr. H. just got a very important phone call and I hate to interrupt, but it's urgent that I speak to him".

"No worries, Max, he's right here".

She held the phone out to him.

"Honey, it's for you".

He and Max talked for a moment and then he made another phone call.

After a few minutes, he came back into the kitchen.

"Everything ok?"

"I'm not sure. Max said the diocese in San Francisco called, and wanted me to call them right away. And when I did, they said that the prosecutor's office is moving forward on charging Father O'Rourke and Sister Sara Jane. They were indicted, and the judge gave them no bail due to the high flight risk of the case. They want to meet with me next week to go over my testimony".

Jennifer stepped forward and put her arms around him and just hugged him.


	24. Chapter 24

***A month later***

Jonathan and Jennifer were at her apartment. It was packed from floor to ceiling, with her boxes. She had an equally sized pile of giveaways next to it.

They had tentatively set a wedding date for May 18. Jennifer had found the most perfect venue-a gorgeous upscale, modern reception hall, that had a walkway down the beach. The walkway was long enough that Jennifer's dad and Max wouldn't have to walk on loose sand.

Today was packing day. Tomorrow was moving day, to their new home.

Jonathan had rented them a hotel room for the night. The plan was they were going to take a final load to the new house of things they didn't want to entrust with the movers, and then head for the hotel.

"Darling, I'm going to head downstairs and get a luggage cart from the front desk. I'll be right back".

"I'll be in my closet".

Jonathan helped Jennifer load a good portion of her clothes into garment bags and suitcases and then loaded the luggage cart.

He helped her pull her portable shoe shelves away from the wall and carry them into the bedroom.

He looked on in amazement as she wrapped the entire thing in several layers of saran wrap.

"Ok, these can go in the backseat floorboard of my car. We can lay the garment bags across the backseat and then gently lay the final two shoe racks on top of them".

They moved everything by the door and then went back to the bedroom.

"Ok darling, now tomorrow I'm going to be at the new house and you are going to be here with the movers, right?"

"Yes".

"Ok, so I want you to tell them there's nothing that has to be moved from the bathroom. All the closets are empty. It's just the boxes and the furniture. And I want you to make sure they heavily wrap my dressers and my tv cabinet".

"Got it".

It took them about 3 hours to load her car, drive to the new house, and then unload both of their cars and then make it to the hotel.

They finally made it to the hotel and picked up dinner along the way. Max was staying at Jonathan's house so he could direct the movers that were coming there to pick up his things.

They had just collapsed into bed when the phone rang.

Jonathan reached over and got it.

"Hello?"

"Mr. H., it's me, Max. You just got a phone call from a Justin Connor. He said he really needs to speak with you, and he left a number".

"Ok, go ahead, Max".

Jennifer stretched and rolled over.

Jonathan quickly wrote down the number.

"Thanks, Max".

He hung up and dialed again.

"Is Max ok?"

"Yeah, he said this guy Justin Connor wants me to call him right away. Said he had to speak with me. Problem is, I don't have the faintest idea who he is".

She sat up and scratched his back some while he dialed the number.

"Hello?"

"Hi, may I speak to Justin please?"

"Speaking".

"Justin, this is Jonathan Hart. I had a message to call you".

"Hi. I was calling because I think you and I are mutually involved in something and I was hoping we could get on the same page. Are you the same Jonathan Hart that was an orphan at the Mission Street Orphanage in San Francisco?"

"Yes, I am".

"Wonderful. I was an orphan there too. And I never thought I would say this, but I'm suing them on my own for negligence and I'm involved in a case being brought by the state against one of the priests and one of the sisters for abuse".

"Are you talking about Father O'Rourke and Sister Sara Jane?"

"Yes, I am".

"I'm involved in the state's case against them as well".

"Well, I've been doing some research, and I've found about 20 other kids who claim that Father O'Rourke abused them. Boys and girls alike. We are actually going to meet next week, here in my home, with my lawyer. Would you be interested in coming?"

"Sure. Where do you live?"

"In Monterrey. We are meeting Friday night at 8, and then again Saturday if we need to".

"Perfect. I'll be there. What's your address?"

Jonathan wrote down the address.

"The prosecutor is sending the ADA to meet with us as well, and get statements from those who haven't given one yet".

"May I ask you something?"

"Certainly".

"What years were you at the orphanage?"

"In my research, I found a file that had the years you were there. I was there the last few years you were, but I doubt we came in contact much. I was 8 when you were 14".

"I see. Did you get sent to see O'Rourke often?"

"In the beginning, yes. Most of the time, he went easy on me and only gave me a few licks. But one time in particular, he upped it to 20, because I was flying paper airplanes in the chapel and one landed behind the pulpit".

"I see. Well, I thank you for calling and I look forward to meeting you on Friday. Can I bring anything with me?"

"Not a thing. I've got it all taken care of. If you're married and want to bring your wife, the wives and girlfriends are going to be meeting in one room while we meet in another".

"Sounds great. I'll see you then".

They hung up and he turned out the light.

Jennifer could tell he was stressing out about the phone call.

"Want to talk about it?"

He took a deep breath.

"That was a former orphan. And he's also involved in the case against O'Rourke and Sara Jane. He is suing the diocese for negligence as well. And he's done some research and found several other victims, and there's a meeting at his house next weekend."

"Are you going to go?"

"Yes, I am. And I want you to come with me. He said the wives and girlfriends are going to meet in one room while we meet in another, and I got the feeling that the wives and girlfriends meeting was going to be informational as well. Probably from a supportive standpoint".

"I'm happy to go with you, you know that".

He grabbed her fingers and kissed them.

"Jonathan, did talking to him about a meeting really upset you this badly?"

"No, that wasn't it. When I asked him if he had been sent to him a lot, he stated that he had, but that for the most part, O'Rourke went easy on him. Except for the one time that he didn't, because he had been flying paper airplanes in chapel and one landed behind the pulpit. Here's the thing-I was also punished for that. One of the worst beatings he ever gave me, and I didn't do it-but I stepped up because I knew I could take it and the other kid couldn't. And I'm realizing now that in doing so, it's like he got off on that somehow, and wanted to beat me even more. And he was so crooked that he gave him a full beating, and gave me one too, for the same offense that only one of us had done".

Jennifer wrapped her arms around him and just held him.

"You had no way of knowing that, darling. It's not your fault he still went after him too. You did what you thought was right".

He nodded and stroked her hair some.

"I feel like I'm stuck. I'm stuck in a cycle where the more I found out, the more it sickens me, and when I think that's it, it starts all over again".

"It's not your fault, honey. Not one bit. Remember what they taught you at the center".

She kissed his chest and ran her fingernail through his chest hair.

He suddenly took her hands and rolled her off of him.

"Not tonight, baby, ok? I'm sorry".

"Jonathan, the next time you decide to turn me down, make sure I'm offering something first".

She scooted over to her side of the bed and rolled over away from him and went to sleep.

He felt awful, but he didn't want to argue, so he didn't say anything.

***The next morning***

Jennifer got up first and headed for the shower.

After she got out, he jumped in and she got dressed. By the time he got out of the shower, she was ready to go.

He came out of the bathroom to find her taking her key to the apartment off her keychain to give to him.

"Do you have your key to the house, and the gate code?"

"Yes".

They had a silent ride down the elevator to the lobby, and she took their bags to the car while he checked them out of the hotel.

He came to the parking lot and caught her just before she left.

"I love you, I'll see you when we finish at the apartment and make it to the house".

"I love you too".

She barely kissed him and then turned to get in the car.

He grabbed her arm and pulled her back to him and kissed her so passionately it took her breath away.

"I promise, I'll make it up to you for last night".

"It's fine, Jonathan".

She kissed him again and then got in the car.

He stood by while she put the top down, and then leaned over the side.

"Got enough gas?"

"I'm fine, darling".

"Ok, see you later".

***Later that afternoon***

The movers were very quick at Jennifer's apartment and Jonathan's house. Moving their items into the truck took less time than expected. When they got to the house, that's when it all became chaotic. Jonathan and Jennifer simply couldn't agree on what to put anywhere. Finally, she threw her hands up and said "Ok, that's it. Put the boxes with blue writing in this room, and put the boxes with black writing upstairs in the first bedroom on the right. Put the furniture wherever you want to. Inside, outside, I don't care".

She stormed up the steps and headed to their bedroom.

As soon as she was out of earshot, Jonathan turned to the movers.

"Just bring in the boxes for now, ok? We'll figure out the rest together".

He headed up the steps to the bedroom to talk to her.

He found her in the bathroom.

"Darling, let's figure this out together".

"Why? You and I are totally incompatible."

"I don't think that's true. I think we just had different ideas of where we want things, that's all".

"I don't want to fight with you, Jonathan. But you aren't listening to me, and I don't want to be ignored either".

"I'm sorry. Let's start over. We'll take it room by room, and figure out the furniture together, ok?"

She finally nodded.

"I told the guys to just bring in the boxes. When they finish, I will tell them to completely empty both furniture trucks, and then we will fill one or both of them with the furniture we aren't using and we will store it".

"I like that".

"Ok, so my bed, or your bed?"

"Yours. But my mattress".

"Darling, your mattress won't fit on my frame. It's too small".

"Oh. Well, then yours, I suppose".

"Done. Now let's go downstairs to the kitchen".

He took her hand and led her downstairs.

"My kitchen table or yours?"

"Mine expands. Does yours?"

"No, it doesn't".

"Ok, so why don't we use mine for now?"

"Fine".

They started making a list, and in under an hour, had come up with a plan for most of the house, plus a shopping list of items they wanted to eventually replace.

It took the movers till almost 10 to get everything moved in, and the small amount of furniture they weren't using loaded back onto the trucks.

Jonathan paid them triple, and paid them to store the truck on their lot.

"I'll meet you Monday morning at a storage unit so we can transfer it".

He went and checked on Max, and then went upstairs to get in bed with Jennifer.

She was in the bathtub.

He set their tv up while she took her bath, and found an alarm clock and a telephone to put on the nightstand.

She came and joined him in bed when her bath was over, and they both fell asleep as soon as their heads hit the pillow.

Sometime in the night, he rolled over and wrapped his arms around her. She snuggled closer to him, and put her arm on top of his.

***The next day***

Jonathan and Jennifer spent all morning moving the boxes to the rooms they belonged in, and then unpacking them together.

By dinner time, what wasn't being unpacked was being put into the attic.

Jennifer poured herself a cocktail and then headed to the back porch. She was so thankful Jonathan had hung their porch swing last week.

She sat on the porch swing and just stared at the view for a few moments.

Jonathan came out and sat with her.

"Darling, can I ask you something?"

"Sure".

"Do you really think we are incompatible?"

She thought a moment.

"In some areas, yes. In others, no. I think in this case, you and I should have come here, measured each space, and then measured our pieces and decided what would fit before we moved in. But you learn as you live, I suppose".

"Darling, it's impossible for two people who love each other as much as you and I do to not want to spend as much time together as possible. And it's impossible for people who spend as much time together as you and I do to not fight. But just because we fight, that doesn't mean we weren't made for each other, or that we aren't compatible. You are my everything, don't you know that?"

"I do. I just got so frustrated when we were arguing. I love you, I don't want to argue with you".

"And I love you more, and I never want to argue with you".

"So, how shall we spend our first night in our new home?"

"An 18-hour nap works for me".

She leaned over and kissed him and then snuggled up to him.

"Still want to live with me?"

"Absolutely".

He took her hand and led her inside, to the kitchen.

Max was getting dinner started.

"Hey you two. Perfect timing. Dinner was just delivered".

"What are we having, Max?"

"I ordered in from this new place called Santoro's. I got us a large sausage lasagna, a large salad with their house dressing, and an order of their famous garlic and cheese bread, and a gallon of sweet tea".

"Sounds wonderful, Max".

"Smells great".

Jonathan popped a bottle of champagne, and poured all three of them a glass.

"To our new home".

"Oh, I'll drink to that".

"Same".

They clinked glasses and Jennifer and Jonathan shared a sweet kiss before taking a sip.

As soon as they finished eating, they headed upstairs to their bedroom.

They fell asleep all snuggled up together.

***Friday***

Jennifer was at the house, packing a bag for them both. They were leaving as soon as Jonathan got home, and he was supposed to be home by 4.

As soon as she finished packing, she heard him coming in.

"Hi gorgeous".

"Hi honey".

She leaned up to kiss him for a bit.

"I started you a bag. Want me to make you a drink for the car?"

"Yeah, I do. See if Max still has any of that tea he made, will ya?"

"Certainly".

She went downstairs and made them both to-go mugs of sweet tea, and then found his sunglasses. She had it all ready to go when he came downstairs.

"Ok, we'll be home in a couple days, Max".

"See you then, have fun".

They had a pretty easy drive to Monterrey. Jennifer looked at Bridal magazines the whole way, and they talked about honeymoon locations and wedding details.

Jennifer really wanted their wedding to be on the beach, and a reflection of the two of them. She didn't want it to be too formal or too traditional.

"Is there anything you really want to include in the ceremony?"

"The kiss at the end. Can we move that to the beginning?"

"Ha, I don't think so".

She told him what she had envisioned and he agreed to everything.

"Max won't love being barefoot though, so what if we offer your dad and Max flip flops or something?"

"That's an idea".

They made it to Monterrey and found the address they were supposed to go to.

They got out of the car and walked up to the door.

Jonathan rang the doorbell, while Jennifer took his hand.

"No matter what happens, I love you, and I believe in you".

She leaned up and kissed him, and then the door opened.

"Hi, please come in".


	25. Chapter 25

Jennifer and Jonathan went inside.

"Please, make yourselves at home. Grab a plate and a drink. The wives and girlfriends are out on the screened in porch, and we are in the living room".

After they had made their plates, Jennifer told him to come get her if he needed her, and then stepped outside.

"Hi, I'm Jennifer".

Everyone introduced themselves.

While the men were comparing notes, the women were talking about how they could help the men get through this.

After about 2 hours, the ladies went and joined the men.

"Ok, so moving forward, here's what we can all expect. There's been a trial date set. And if possible, we need to all be present for each day of the trial. We need to pack the courtroom. We want them to see us".

Everyone agreed with that.

"Is there a date for the trial to begin?"

"Yes, it was just set today. May 14".

"Well, that doesn't work for us. But I will be there for what I can".

"What do you mean it doesn't work for you?"

"We are getting married on the 18th".

"Oh."

"Jonathan, you and I have forever to get married. This might be your only shot at seeing him get what he deserves. We can reschedule the wedding".

"Darling, you've put your heart and soul into this".

"It's fine. You are more important."

He nodded and kissed her forehead.

"Ok, we're in".

"So, I'm not going to tell you all what to reveal in your testimony. I'm simply going to ask all of you to be as honest as possible and tell them what you remember in as much detail as you can".

After they stopped talking about the trial, they started talking about happy memories of the orphanage.

Everyone remembered Jonathan as the big brother type for all of them.

Around 11, everyone left. Jonathan and Jennifer held hands as they walked to the car together.

They headed to check into their hotel, and headed straight to their room.

Jennifer changed into a leopard print nightgown, and climbed into bed next to Jonathan.

She scratched his chest a little and just loved on him some.

He finally turned the tv off and wrapped his arms around her.

She stroked his hair and kissed his head some, and a few minutes later, he fell asleep on her chest.

She gave him a final kiss on the forehead and whispered to him.

"Goodnight, I love you".

***May***

Jonathan and Jennifer had settled into a very comfortable routine. She was exclusively working out of their house, and he had furnished the office with everything she would need. They had finally figured out all the furniture placements, and gotten all the boxes put away. What they stored when they moved in, they sold. He went to work each day, and tried very hard to not work late unless absolutely necessary. As far as he was concerned, his nights, and his early mornings, belonged exclusively to Jennifer. She felt the same, and refused to work while he was home.

She was at the house, working on an article when the phone rang.

She reached over and grabbed it.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Jennifer? It's Deanne. Mr. Hart is requesting for you to come to the office in about an hour. He says it should only take you about 30 minutes to get to the office from the house".

"Ok, tell him I'm on my way".

She got up and went and filled her water bottle and then left a note for Max and headed out.

***Hart Industries***

She pulled up and parked, and then headed to his floor. Everyone was happy to see her and started giving her hugs.

Deanne stood up and opened Jonathan's office door.

"Mr. Hart, Miss Edwards is here".

"Thanks Deanne. Give us about 20 minutes, please. Hold my calls".

"Yes, sir".

He leaned up against the desk and Jennifer walked over to him.

"Hi".

"Hi".

"What's the big emergency?"

He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her in for a kiss.

"Well, I have this meeting this afternoon, and then I have another one tonight. And if it goes the way I think it will, I'm going to have to work late every night this week, so that I can be gone next week for the trial. And I feel horrible, because I swore that I wouldn't work late so we could spend our nights together".

"It's fine, darling. Honest. I love you, you know that".

She kissed him a few more times.

"What time do you think you'll be home?"

"Hopefully by 9".

"Want me to wait dinner on you?"

"Save me a plate, but you don't have to wait for me".

She stepped forward and kissed him a few times.

Before they were ready, Deanne buzzed him.

"Mr. Hart, your meeting is here".

"Thank you".

"Darling, I have an idea. Agree to whatever they want, and you can be home by 7 and in bed with me by 8".

"If it were only that simple".

He gathered a few files, and then walked her to the elevator.

"I love you, I'll be home as soon as I can".

He gave her a quick few kisses and then headed to his meeting, and she headed home.

***Later that night***

Jennifer was still up when Jonathan got home. She had just put her pajamas on.

She heard him coming in, so she headed to the door.

"Hi darling".

"Hi beautiful". He gave her several kisses.

"Hungry?"

"Starved".

They headed to the kitchen where Max was heating up their plates.

"Darling, how did your meeting go?"

"Ok, I suppose. We got a lot of the heavy-hitting stuff out of the way so Stanley won't have to worry about that part of the deal when I'm gone".

"That's wonderful".

She embraced him and hugged him for a few minutes.

After a nice dinner, they headed upstairs to watch a movie in bed.

Jennifer gave him a nice backrub, and got him all relaxed.

"Baby, if this is what married life with you will be like, let's get married tomorrow".

"Ha ha. You know the deal, Mr. Hart. Not without my father walking me down the aisle".

They switched so she could get her backrub, and then Jonathan turned the tv to the news so they could watch the weather.

 _This just in-Prosecutors in San Francisco are preparing to put one of the city's most revered priests on trial this week for aggravated child abuse. Father Walter O'Rourke and Sister Sara Jane Sampson have served at the Mission Street Orphanage for more than 40 years. They have been charged with 26 counts of child abuse each, in a case that has victims stretching back at least 20 years. Trial officially starts tomorrow, but the defendants won't face a judge till next week._

"Darling, try not to think about it".

"Easier said than done. I'm the one that started all this, but ever since it started, I'm having more and more flashbacks".

She rubbed on his arm.

"You're doing the right thing, darling. Think of all the kids who are in the orphanage now that you are saving from going through the same things you did".

"You're right. I just wish the memories would stop".

"They will, once he gets what's coming to him".

He wrapped his arms around her and held her close.

"How did a worthless punk like me get lucky enough to end up with a wonderful woman like you?"

"You aren't a worthless punk. Far from it. And if you want to talk luck, I'm the lucky one".

"How do you figure?"

"I had just lost out on a job that I thought was a sure thing. I didn't have anything else lined up. If you hadn't hired me at the office, I would have been flying home to my father with my tail between my legs in a matter of days. And if you hadn't hired me at the office, I wouldn't have met you, so yeah, I win".

She kissed him a few times and then nestled down on to his shoulder.

"Are you scared, darling?"

"A little. It's weird. I mean, I have no idea what order they are going to have us testify in, and I'm a little anxious about what you are going to hear happened to me. I've told you everything, just not in full detail".

"I can handle it, Jonathan. My main concern, first and foremost, is you".

"You know, as a kid, I used to daydream about the moment when the adult me saw him and just let him have it."

"You mean yelling at him?"

"Yelling, punches, kicks, the whole bit. And I used to dream that a lot. And then when it didn't happen, I figured it never would. And now that it has and will in the next few days, it's like I don't know what to do or what to say".

"Honey, you already went off on him, when you met him at the orphanage. And that was pretty impressive. You were more composed than I would have been".

"I know, but I wasn't exactly prepared for it. I don't really understand it, so it's kind of hard for me to explain".

She kissed his neck and gave him a squeeze.

"You don't have to understand anything, darling, other than I love you".

He rolled on top of her and made love to her for a few hours before they passed out together.

***The next week***

Jennifer and Jonathan were in San Francisco for the trial. He had gotten them a room at the Fairmont, and they had planned to stay through the week and then fly home on the weekend.

They picked up breakfast at a little place near the hotel and then headed to the courthouse.

The prosecutor met them in the hallway and ushered them into a conference room.

"Ok, so the process is a little tricky. Basically, because it's day one, you are going to hear the opening statements and then you are going to hear how they have pled not guilty, and then if time allows, we will call our first witness."

They sat there while one by one, the other victims and their wives arrived. By the time court started, there were almost 30 people plus wives/husbands/girlfriends.

"Ok, let's head to the courtroom. We will be sitting on the left side of the room".

They took their seats and a few minutes later, the defendants were brought in. They were wearing prison uniforms and were cuffed.

Jennifer noticed that neither of them looked to see who was in the courtroom, they just looked straight ahead as they walked to their seats.

"All rise, the Honorable Leslie Owenstein presiding. This court will now come to order".

"You may be seated".

Jennifer stared at the judge. She looked to be about 5-10 years older than Jonathan. Her hair was blonde, and she had olive skin. Jennifer admired her manicured nails and quickly realized she had a take-charge attitude.

"Good morning, we are here to listen to opening statements and witness testimony in the case of the State of California vs. Father Walter O'Rourke and Sister Sara Jane Sampson on charges of aggravated child abuse, unlawful punishment of a minor, and excessive force in regards to punishment of a child. Now, due to the nature of the case, I am going to seal the records of this case, and I'm also going to rule that no cameras be allowed during the proceedings. Members of the media, if you report on this case, you are not to report the names of the victims or those who testify. If you do, I will hold you in contempt. I see in my case file that the defendants have pled not guilty to all of the charges. Counselors, do the defendants wish to stick with their pleas, or do they wish to change them?"

"At this time, they wish to stick with them, your honor".

"Noted. Ok, prosecutors, do you have any opening motions?"

"Not at this time, your honor".

"Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, does anyone have any questions?"

Nobody raised their hand.

"Ok, so your job today is simply to listen. Listen to what the lawyers are going to tell you, about the defendants and about the witnesses. Listen to everything they say, take notes if you need to. You don't have to decide anything today. You just have to listen. At times, you might hear me tell you to disregard something, but that's very rare. If I do, that means you aren't to consider that piece of information when you make your decision. We will take a 10-minute recess at the end of every 90 minutes so that you can get water, go to the bathroom, whatever you need. If you have an emergency, just write a note and pass it to the bailiff".

The judge turned towards the prosecutor's table.

"You may begin with your opening statement. And I just want to remind those present in the courtroom, outbursts will not be entertained. If you can't control yourself, you are free to leave the courtroom. Counselor, you may begin".

"Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, before you, sit two defendants. The male defendant was a priest. The female defendant was a nun. Together, they ran the Mission Street Orphanage. On the outside, they made it seem as if it was a happy, loving orphanage, where they cared for those less fortunate and did the best they could to rub together two pennies and make a lot of dimes. However, on the inside, as you will hear in testimony, it was anything but happy for some of the orphans.

There are two things that we know to be true. One is that you cannot dispute the facts. Facts are just that-fact. They are solid and indestructible pieces of evidence that can be proven. They can be proven either by physical evidence that you can see, such as pictures or videos. It might be something you can touch. It could also be something you could hear-such as testimony from a witness or a victim. The other thing we know to be true is that as a society, child abuse is frowned upon rather heavily. The state is going to prove that these two defendants did just that-abused a child, over and over, child after child, time after time, for more than 20 years. The most despicable part of this child abuse case is that these weren't children who saw the priest and the nun only on Sundays or only a few times a week. These children lived in the orphanage with them, they depended on them to have their basic needs met, and they quite literally had nobody else to turn to for help. At the end of this trial, we can finally answer those ignored cries for help, by convicting these defendants. The witnesses that you are going to hear from will tell you how they were physically punished, mentally punished, verbally assaulted, and treated very cruelly. The state requests that you give each witness equal merit and then deliver the long-overdue justice so that healing can begin".

"Defense, your turn".

"Two things that the state told you were true, most definitely are. And that is that facts are facts, and that child abuse is despicable. Where they messed up is that they said the defendants were child abusers. The reality is the defendants are two people who were stretched to their limits, pulled in all directions to care for 80 plus children a year, for more than 40 years. They could have asked for a transfer to another diocese, or another position in the diocese, but because they love kids, they didn't. They sacrificed their lives to take care of the kids that needed them the most. As the rulers of the orphanage, they had to maintain order somehow. And as we all know, a simple spanking does not child abuse make. And now, these two defendants are the victims of a witch hunt. They have been stripped of their jobs in the orphanage, jobs they have had for more than 40 years. In terms of priesthood and sisterhood, it's a lifetime calling that they believe was engineered by God. So, it's more devastating than losing a regular job. And now those poor children in the orphanage are having to live day to day without the love and guidance they received from Sister Sara Jane, and Father O'Rourke. It's time to send a message that the witch hunt is over, and that these two defendants aren't responsible for anything more than simple spankings and discipline".

Jennifer couldn't remember the last time she had ever felt so sick to her stomach.

She reached over and squeezed and patted Jonathan's hand. He gave her a gentle squeeze back.

"Ok, at this time, the state may call it's first witness".

"Your honor, may we take a minute and excuse anyone who might be testifying later today?"

"Yes, you may".

The prosecutor came around and asked Jonathan to stay, and everyone else who was testifying to wait in the room next door.

When they were ready, the prosecutor turned back to the judge.

"Your honor, the state calls Mr. Jonathan Hart".

Jennifer gave him a quick kiss.

"I love you, and I believe in you. You can do this. I'm right here. If you get nervous, look at me".

He kissed her back and then headed to the stand.

The bailiff swore him in and then he sat down.

"Please state your name for the record".

"Jonathan Charles Hart".

"Please state your address for the record".

"3100 Willow Pond Drive, in Los Angeles".

"Mr. Hart, do you know at what age you were brought to the orphanage?"

"I believe I was about 2 years old. I am not certain about that, but I'm pretty sure".

"According to the record we obtained from the orphanage, you were exactly two years old".

"Thank you".

"Can you tell the court your birthday?"

"February 10".

"Your honor, the state would like to submit for the record that Mr. Hart correctly stated his birthday".

"Duly noted".

"Mr. Hart, do you remember much about your time at the orphanage?"

"Yes, I do".

"Can you categorize what your memories consist of?"

"Daily life, punishments, the people I spent time with, and when I got away from the orphanage".

"Can you describe under what conditions an orphan could be punished?"

"From my experience, when you misbehaved, you had to talk with the nun. If the nun deemed what you did to be minor, you could get away with anything from a talking to, all the way up to dish duty or something similar. If it was deemed that what you did was major, the nun would take you to the priest".

"Where you ever put on dish duty?"

"Let's just say that by the time I was 10, the nuns had me train the others on how to do the dishes properly, because I had been put on dish duty so many times".

Jennifer saw the judge crack a smile at that.

"Mr. Hart, about how many times would you estimate that you were taken to the priest for punishment?"

"Hard to say. I went a lot in the beginning, but then as I got older, it gets skewed".

Judge Owenstein leaned over towards Jonathan.

"Can you clarify what you mean by that, please?"

"Well, the older I got, the more it bothered me that the younger kids would be punished the same way I was. So, there were times when I stepped up and took their punishment for them. And there were times when Sister Sara Jane and Father O'Rourke just assumed that I was the guilty party and punished me anyways, even though I was innocent. And it seemed to me, that the older I got, the more they picked on me and singled me out for punishment, and I was getting double punished, because I was given punishment by Father O'Rourke, but I was also punished by the sisters".

"Punished how?"

"The sisters would assign me to dish duty, or landscaping, which was weed pulling and raking. You had to attend a church service twice a week, but if the sisters put you on punishment, you had to attend 3 extra times in addition to the mandated two. Sometimes, you were the only one in the service. Father O'Rourke would give me licks, or something worse".

"The court will respectfully ask that the witness clarify what he means by something worse".

"When you came in for a punishment, you had to drop your pants and turn around. The licks you got were from a leather strap. Then you had to lay face down on the couch. Sometimes, the strap would cut you. If it did, they poured rubbing alcohol on it. Sometimes, you had to remove your t-shirt and he would put duct tape on your chest and rip your chest hairs out. Other times he would put electrified needles underneath your fingernails and turn on the juice".

Some members of the jury were visibly horrified.

"How did you know what to do each time?"

"It always started with licks. And then he would lay you on the couch face down while they administered the alcohol. Afterwards, he would physically turn you over himself and tell you to remove your shirt, or to hold out your hands. The entire time while you were getting licks, Sister Sara Jane would stand over off to the side, and tell you that God wanted this to happen to you because you didn't obey his orders to be obedient, that God didn't like disobedience. When the rubbing alcohol was administered, one would hold you down while the other would pour it. And if you screamed, they would threaten to do it again. And, then when it was over, Sister Sara Jane would walk you to the showers down the hall and give you a cold shower".

"How long did the cold showers last?"

"Long enough to get you really good and cold and shivering".

"Did she say anything to you during the shower?"

"Just that God rewarded the obedient ones with hot water".

"Were the accommodations at the orphanage any different for those who got punished versus those who didn't?"

"Not that I recall. But I do remember feeling as though they were refusing to let me be adopted because I was being punished. Sometimes, if you got punished right before dinner, you missed dinner, but they always gave you beans at least".

"Are there any other details about the punishments that you recall?"

"He was always dressed in a costume, like Santa Claus, or the Easter Bunny. With every lick, he would tell me that I would never amount to anything, that I wasn't worth anything, that I was never going to win. And there were times when I stepped up to take a punishment for someone else, and he gave it to me, and then he gave it to them also".

Jennifer's heart broke into a million pieces thinking about what Jonathan went through.

"Your honor, the state would like to introduce into evidence exhibits A, B, C, D, and E. Exhibit A is a Santa Claus suit, complete with hat. Exhibit B is an Easter Bunny suit. Both of these were found in the closet in Father O'Rourke's office. Exhibit C is two leather straps, one is more worn than the other. Exhibit D is a box labeled "punishments", that contains rubbing alcohol, gauze pads and duct tape. And Exhibit E is a homemade device consisting of two large volt batteries, wires with lobster claws on one end, needles on the other."

"Testimony will be paused while these items are admitted into evidence."

After they were admitted into evidence, she instructed the bailiff to put them on the ledge for the jury to look at.

"Mr. Hart, did you have any lasting injuries as a result of the abuse?"

"I have a few scars here and there. When I in my late 20's, I saw a doctor who took some x-rays and she noticed that at one time, I had suffered from hairline fractures. Most everything else that I still deal with is emotional, mental".

"Mr. Hart, can you please tell the court what became of your life when you left the orphanage?"

"Well, when I was 12, I got a job selling newspapers, and in the interest of not having to deal with me, the sisters would let me leave the orphanage early every morning so that I could go to work before school. On weekends, I would stay gone at least till my papers were sold. While I was doing that, I met a guy named Max. He took me under his wing, so to speak. Taught me how to be a man, how to live, and he's really the only person in my life that I can consider my father. He's the first person that I knew I could consider family. At 15, He and the nuns came to an agreement that I could spend each weekend at his house, kind of like a joint-custody arrangement. The morning I turned 18, Father O'Rourke gleefully told me I had till sundown to get myself and my belongings out of the orphanage and off the property. At that time, I moved in with Max, while I finished high school. When I graduated high school, I joined the Navy. When I got out of the Navy, Max made sure that I got an education, and then he helped me to start my company, Hart Industries. And today, Hart Industries is a Fortune 500 company. It is an electronics and technology conglomerate. In addition to the company, I own a house, a couple cars, my own plane, and I have the most drop-dead gorgeous fiancée in the world".

He winked at Jennifer, who blew him a kiss.

"Mr. Hart, can you tell us what led to this investigation taking place?"

"I met my fiancée, who convinced me to face what happened to me and deal with it, instead of taking it out on everyone else. So, I went to a treatment center, and dealt with it. And then I went to the orphanage and I found out that a different priest was running the orphanage and we had a long talk. I told him that I was willing to donate enough funds for them to have a new roof, as well as an expansion and new furniture for the kids, on two conditions-no more physical discipline, and that the defendants not be allowed to be around the children ever. So, he promised me that he would look into it and then the next time we spoke, he told me that it had been turned over to the prosecutor's office. Since that day, about 20 of the former orphans have gotten together to discuss things, and more have come forward."

"Mr. Hart, please tell the court what you planned to do if the state had declined to press charges".

"I had planned to file a lawsuit against the diocese for failing to protect us."

"Mr. Hart, do you realize that a lawsuit of that magnitude could have bankrupted the orphanage?"

"I wouldn't have requested a monetary settlement. Just that the defendants be removed from being around children".

"Thank you, Mr. Hart. Your honor, no further questions".

"Defense, you may cross examine the witness".

Jonathan looked at Jennifer.

"You got this", she mouthed.


	26. Chapter 26

"Mr. Hart, can you tell the court more about what would compel you to step up and take a punishment for another child?"

"Objection, your honor. The witness has already explained that".

"Sustained".

"Mr. Hart, were you told to take punishments for other children?"

"No".

"Mr. Hart, isn't it true that aside from the punishments you were taking for the other kids, and simply talking only about your own misdeeds, isn't it true that you weren't the most well-behaved child in the orphanage?"

"I would say there was some merit to that. I wasn't perfect, but I wasn't the worst child by a stretch".

"Mr. Hart, was it your choice to take the punishments for the other children?"

"Objection, your honor. Asked and answered".

"Sustained. Counsel, move on".

"Can you tell the court what you expected the punishments to be?"

"Licks, for the most part. Dish duty, extra chapel services".

"Do you remember how many licks you were given?"

"10-20".

"Which is it, Mr. Hart, 10, or 20?"

"Until I was about 10 or 11, it was 10. After that, it was 20."

"What instrument was used to administer the licks?"

"A leather strap".

"Were they hard licks, meaning, did you feel pain after each one?"

"After the first few, mostly. After that, I went numb, and just got angry about it".

"And were these licks administered solely by Father O'Rourke?"

"Yes, but Sister Sara Jane was always close by, encouraging him and then playing mind games with me".

"Please clarify what you mean".

"She would hand him the leather strap with a cruel smile on her face, and then as he was whacking me with it, she would tell me that this was God's will. And then afterwards, she would walk me back to where I was supposed to be, and along the way she would tell me how proud she was of how well I took it".

"And how did that make you feel?"

"Resentful. Angry".

"Mr. Hart, you testified earlier that you sought treatment to deal with what the alleged abuse has allegedly done to you. But isn't it true that you really went there because you were in danger of losing your company?"

"No. I went there for the reasons I previously stated. I have never been in danger of losing my company".

"Mr. Hart, isn't it true that when you and your fiancée went to the orphanage to make a donation, that the two of you attacked Father O'Rourke and Sister Sara Jane in front of other children?"

"Well-"

"And that you were overheard using a shouting voice towards the defendants?"

"Well-"

"Objection!"

"And that you angrily walked down the hall and demanded to see Father O'Flanagan?"

"Well-"

"Objection! Your honor, the witness is clearly trying to answer the defense's questions, but the defense isn't allowing it".

"Sustained. Mr. Hart, please explain to the court in your own words what happened when you and your fiancée confronted the defendants. And the defense will remain quiet while you do".

"We went to the orphanage, to make a donation. And I asked if they were still there, out of curiosity. And I was told they were down the hall in the chapel. So, after our questions were answered, we headed that way. I wasn't intending to have a confrontation. I simply asked them if they remembered me. Sister Sara Jane said yes, she did. And then conversation turned towards the punishments. And Father O'Rourke denied ever having beaten me, but I could tell he was lying. There was something sinister about the look on his face. We argued about what happened to me, and they told me that they were carrying out God's Will. I won't repeat my response to that, but I was very clear about how I felt about it. And then-"

"Please repeat your response, Mr. Hart".

"Your honor, it contains profanity".

"It's ok".

"I told them it was pathetic bullshit, and that I refused to believe that God wanted them to run electric needles up my fingernails, make me take cold showers after a beating, or pull my chest hairs off with tape".

"Continue".

"After I got everything off my chest, he told me I would never win, and I told him that was false, and that he had no idea what was coming. Then, Jennifer and I left, and we headed back to the same office to find out where the head priest was. On our way to the office, we spoke about how seeing them made me angry, and how she was creeped out by Father O'Rourke. There were no children present when I spoke with the defendants. It was more like they were leaving the chapel as we were going in. Our conversation took place with just the four of us present".

"Thank you, Mr. Hart".

"No further questions, your honor".

"Counselor, would you like to re-examine?"

"Not at this time".

"Mr. Hart, on behalf of the state of California, the court would like to sincerely apologize to you for what you experienced, and commend you on your courage to be forthcoming about the details today".

"Thank you, your honor".

"The witness may step down. Counselor, you may call your next witness".

"The state calls Jennifer Edwards".

Jennifer was shocked, as she didn't know they were going to ask her to testify.

Jonathan stayed by the witness stand and held the partition door for her.

She gave him a quick kiss and then he headed to his seat.

She was sworn in by the bailiff and then took a seat.

"Please state your name for the record".

"Jennifer Suzanne Edwards".

"Please state your address".

"3100 Willow Pond Drive, in Los Angeles".

"Miss Edwards, what is your current occupation?"

"I'm a freelance journalist".

"Miss Edwards, were you also an orphan at the orphanage?"

"No, I wasn't".

"When did you first come in contact with the defendants?"

"On the day that Mr. Hart and I went to the orphanage".

"And why did you accompany him to the orphanage?"

"He and I were just beginning a relationship before he went to treatment, so when he got out, I flew up to pick him up and he told me that day he wanted us to go to the orphanage so he could make peace with things".

"Were you aware that he wanted to speak with the defendants?"

"No, I wasn't."

"Were you aware of what happened to him as a child?"

"Some things".

"When did you learn what happened to him?"

"He told me when I visited him in the treatment center about some of the things that happened to him. When he and I were walking towards the chapel in the sanctuary he told me that he hadn't told me everything in detail and he apologized if I heard something new. And then the rest, I learned today when he testified".

"And how did finding out what he had gone through make you feel?"

"Horrible. Nobody deserves that. What they did wasn't punishment, it was abuse and cruel and heartless and certainly not what any higher being intended".

"Mr. Hart testified that you were the reason he sought treatment. What happened to make you suggest that he do that?"

"I took a job working for his company. That's how he and I met. And I noticed that if anything went wrong, he would get agitated".

"Agitated how?"

She hesitated and then looked at him.

"I'm sorry, darling. Agitated as in he would yell at his employees and sometimes throw files."

"Was this every day?"

"Yes."

"Any specific time of day?"

"I always saw it after he had a meeting, but another employee told me that he was less explosive in the mornings and just before the end of the day, and that lunch time was a little dicey. What I really noticed was that everyone seemed to walk on eggshells around him".

"Did he ever explode at you?"

"Yes. And I walked out and quit. And then he came and convinced me to come back to work, and I did, with an agreement that he wasn't going to treat me that way."

"And what happened?"

"A few weeks later, he blew up at me again, so I stuck to my word, and I quit".

"Did he come and convince you to come back?"

"He came by and we talked and I told him that I wouldn't come back, that he and I would work out better if I didn't. At that time, he wasn't interested in talking about where it was coming from, but I encouraged him to take some time off and deal with it, and he did."

"Did it help?"

"Yes, it did. He's now the wonderful person I always knew he was covering up".

"Mr. Hart testified about the meeting you two had with the defendants. Would you say it went exactly as Mr. Hart described?"

"Yes, I would".

"No further questions, your honor".

"Defense has no questions".

"The Witness may step down. And that, ladies and gentlemen, brings us to our first lunch break. Jurors, you may head to the jury room for lunch. You may not discuss the details of this case with each other. We will reconvene at 1 p.m. Court is adjourned".

The prosecutor took Jonathan and Jennifer to the waiting room.

"Great job, you two".

Jennifer embraced Jonathan.

"You were wonderful, darling. So poised, and polished".

They headed downstairs to get lunch, and then came back to the waiting room.

When court reconvened, they headed back into the courtroom.

"Court is now in session. Counselor, you may call your next witness".

"Your honor, may I approach the bench?"

"Yes, Counsel may approach the bench".

The lawyers and the judge had a brief but intense conversation and then the lawyers went back to their desk.

"The defendants will please rise".

The defendants stood up.

"Your counsel tells me that you two wish to change your pleas. Is that correct?"

They both responded 'yes'.

"Father O'Rourke, I'll start with you. Do you realize that if you plead guilty to these charges, that you will more than likely spend the rest of your life in prison, and that you will be immediately remanded into custody?"

He responded 'yes'.

"Can you tell me why you want to change your plea?"

"Because I'm guilty, and I realize after listening to his testimony that I didn't win, he did. And I don't feel like sitting here and listening to the rest of them say the same thing".

"Counselor, does the state have any objection to the defendant changing his plea?"

"No, and the state respectfully requests the maximum punishment, your honor".

"Noted. Father O'Rourke, do you have any questions for me?"

"No, your honor".

"Would you like to make a statement to your victims?"

"No, your honor".

"Very well. Walter O'Rourke, on the charges of aggravated child abuse, excessive force pertaining to punishment of a minor, and unlawful punishment of a child, I find you guilty by your own admission. The minimum amount of jail time you are facing is 25 years. The maximum is 340 years. It doesn't make sense given your advanced age, to sentence you to centuries in prison. However, it does make sense to sentence you to decades, because I find that the abuse went on for decades. I could tell you that I think what you did was reprehensible, that you are evil, and that you will pay for what you have done many times over. However, I'm not the one that will ultimately pass judgement on you, so I'll save that experience for you till then. What I will say to you, is that you sir, have no business being a man of the cloth. And you sir, have no business being around children ever again. Walter O'Rourke, I hereby sentence you to a period of no less than 30 years, and no more than 220 years, in the custody of the Department of Corrections of the State of California. They base the time in months, so in months, that is 360 months to 2,640 months. Simply put, you are 72 years old now, so that means you will be 102 before you are eligible for release."

She banged her gavel, and then instructed him to sit.

"Sister Sara Jane, please stand".

Sara Jane stood.

"You are charged with the same offenses as Father O'Rourke is, as well as additional charges of aiding and abetting child abuse. Is it your intention to plead guilty?"

"Yes, your honor".

"Can you tell me why?"

"What we did was wrong. We need to get right with the Lord before we go before him, and pleading guilty is the best way to do that".

"I see. Do you understand that if you plead guilty, you will spend the rest of your life in prison, and you will immediately be remanded into custody?"

"Yes, your honor".

"Counselor, does the state object?"

"No, your honor. The state respectfully requests the maximum sentence".

"Noted. Sister, would you like to ask me anything or make a statement?"

"I ask you for mercy and leniency, your honor. I am of advanced age, and that comes with health issues that make everyday tasks hard. I ask that you either give me a shortened sentence or give me probation and house arrest, or that you order that I serve my sentence in a hospital".

"Sister, did you show leniency when you allowed Father O'Rourke to beat young children? Did you show mercy when you told Mr. Hart that what was happening to him was what God wanted?"

"Your honor-"

"I'm sorry, Sister. I find you guilty on all charges, by your own admission. It is my opinion, that you not only knew what was happening to those children, but that you encouraged it, just as Mr. Hart testified. You ma'am, have no business holding the title of Sister, and you have no business ever being around children ever again. I hereby order that you be remanded into the custody of the department of corrections of the state of California, for a period of time no less than 40 years, no more than 280. In terms of months, that is 480 to 3360".

"Your honor, we request a breakdown of the defendants' actual sentences per charge for appeal purposes".

"Certainly. Both defendants are charged with 8 counts of aggravated child abuse, 8 counts of unlawful abuse of a child, and 10 counts of excessive force as pertains to punishment of a child. On the 8 counts of aggravated child abuse, each defendant will serve 15 years. For the unlawful abuse of a child, they will serve 10 years on each count, and for the excessive force as pertains to punishment charges, they will serve 8 years per count. Sister Sara Jane will serve 6 years on each count of aiding and abetting child abuse. They will each serve these sentences concurrently. Father O'Rourke will serve 30 years before he is eligible for release, and Sister Sara Jane will serve 40 before she is eligible for release".

"Thank you, your honor".

"Counsel, any further questions or comments?"

"Your honor, what about my client's request to serve her sentence in a hospital?"

"That decision is at the discretion of the prison system."

"Thank you, your honor".

"Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I thank you for your service, even though this wasn't a conventional trial by any means. I hereby declare you dismissed. Ladies and gentlemen, this trial is over, and court is adjourned".

Everyone stood up. Jennifer hugged Jonathan so tightly.

"It's over, darling".

"Yeah, it is."

The prosecutor thanked both of them, and then headed to talk to the other witnesses.

Jonathan was determined to get the last look at Father O'Rourke, and Sister Sara Jane as they were led away.

Once they were out of sight, he turned to Jennifer.

"Want to get out of here?"

"Desperately".

She laced her fingers through his and they headed out of the courtroom.

They were walking through the corridor when she heard someone call her name.

"Jennifer, is that you?"

Jennifer turned around.

"Pa! What are you doing here?"


	27. Chapter 27

"I'm here to prosecute an art thief, sweetheart. What are you two doing here? Not getting married without me, I hope".

"No, nothing like that. It's a long story, Pa. Why don't you let us take you to dinner and we'll tell you about it?"

"Certainly. My case will be wrapped up as soon as I file some paperwork. Let's see, it's 2 p.m. How about we meet at By the Dozen at 7?"

"Sounds great, Pa. We will see you then. We love you".

She stepped forward and kissed his cheek.

"I love you too, sweetheart".

He extended his hand to Jonathan.

"Always good to see you, son".

"Great to see you too, sir. We will see you tonight. We are at the Fairmont, if you need us".

"Wonderful. I'm at the Regis".

"We will see you tonight, Pa".

They walked towards the entrance and took a cab back to their hotel.

Jonathan wanted to change out of his suit and call Max.

They came into their room, and he immediately called Max. Jennifer stepped into the bathroom to give him some privacy.

"Hey Max, it's me. Court went better than expected. I testified, and then Jennifer testified, and then the judge said go to lunch, and then after lunch, they changed their plea. They will spend the rest of their lives in prison, Max".

"That's wonderful, Mr. H. I'm proud of you for testifying and putting them away".

"Thank you".

"So, when are you and Miss Edwards coming home?"

"In a day or two. We haven't decided yet".

"Well, I will see you when you get here".

"Got it, Max. Thanks for holding down the fort".

He covered the receiver with his hand.

"Darling, did you want to talk to Max?"

She stepped out of the bathroom.

"Hi Max. We love you".

"Jennifer says hi and we love you. Ok, have fun."

He hung up.

She came and sat next to him on the bed.

"Want to go somewhere?"

"No, I think I want to take a nap with you".

"Wonderful".

He quickly stripped down to his boxer briefs while she dug a nightgown out of her bag and put it on.

She climbed into bed next to him, and they cuddled up together.

"Too bad we postponed the wedding, we could have made it after all".

"I'm kind of glad we did, darling. I'm happy to have some time where things can just slow down".

"Yeah, that's a good point".

"What if you and I take a trip?"

"Take a trip where?"

"Well, I put Stanley in charge at the office, and I didn't give him a timeline. So, he's going to be running the office anyways. And now that we aren't locked down into the trial, we have the time. Where do you want to go?"

"Well, I don't know. We still haven't picked a honeymoon".

She started scratching his chest.

"Where have you always wanted to go but never been?"

"Thailand. You?"

"Turks and Caicos".

"Ok, so what if we took a trip to the Turks and Caicos this weekend, stayed several nights and then came home, and saved Thailand for our honeymoon?"

"Sounds good to me".

They chatted till they fell asleep, and slept till the alarm went off.

They got up and got dressed and headed to meet her dad.

***By the Dozen***

Neither Jonathan nor Jennifer had ever been to By the Dozen, so they didn't really know what to expect.

Stephen had just been seated when they got there.

"Hi Pa!"

"Hi Sweetheart. Hello Jonathan".

"Hello sir".

Jonathan pulled Jennifer's chair out for her, and then she took a seat.

"Thank you, darling".

He took a seat next to her.

The waitress came and took their orders.

"Darling, would you like some wine?"

"Darling, don't you think today calls for champagne?"

"Great idea. A bottle of Dom Perignon and three glasses, please".

"Right away, sir".

"So, Pa, why didn't you tell me you were coming to California?"

"Well, it was spur of the moment. I am trying to prosecute someone who knowingly sold me a fake painting at the London Gallery, and he allegedly sold a fake painting to the San Francisco gallery, so I was hoping the judge here would let me add my case to this one, but it was a no-go."

"I see".

"Can't the London courts prosecute?"

"Yes, but they are usually far more lenient than the American ones".

"I never realized that. So how long are you staying in the states?"

"Well, since my business is concluded, I'll go back to London tomorrow, sweetheart. What brings you two up here?"

"I'll let Jonathan tell you that".

"Well, sir, it's like this. When I was a child, I was sent to live at the Mission Street Orphanage when my parents were killed. The orphanage was run by a priest known as Father O'Rourke, and a nun known as Sister Sara Jane. And I was mischievous, but I wasn't a horrible kid. So, if you messed up, you had to see the nun. Sometimes they would talk to you, sometimes they would put you on dishes. If it was really bad, you were sent to the priest. He usually shamed you really good, and gave you licks. Sometimes, it was worse than that. I didn't like knowing that the younger kids were being treated that way, so I stepped up and took it for them. And that worked against me, because they started to single me out when I was innocent. By the time I was 15, I was getting 20 licks a time, about 3-5 times a week. And I was on dish duty till eternity, and I was more experienced at pulling weeds than the hired landscaper. And I had a lot of anger over it. So, many years later, I met your gorgeous daughter, and she could see that my anger was affecting me negatively and that I was taking things out on the wrong people. After I yelled at her one too many times, she convinced me to seek help for it, which I did. And that gave me the confidence to talk about it with others, and when she picked me up from the center, I decided to go to the orphanage and make a donation, to make sure they had a new roof and the kids were taken care of, provided that Father O'Rourke and Sister Sara Jane never dealt with the children again. That sparked an investigation by the ruling priest, which led to charges, which led to a trial, which is what we came up for".

"I see. And what was the outcome of the trial?"

"Well, at first, they were indignant. And then I testified about what happened to me, and then Jennifer testified about what I was like as an adult and what happened when she and I went to the orphanage. And then the defendants changed their plea to guilty and were essentially handed life sentences".

"Very good. Son, I realize I'm not your father. But allow me to give you some fatherly advice. It takes a big man to take on an even bigger man. It takes on a big man to admit that he was mistreated by another man. Doing so doesn't make you less of a man or less of a person. Instead, it makes you a better one. I commend you for speaking up, and speaking out, and seeking the justice that you and the other orphans deserve".

"Thank you, sir".

The waitress brought their champagne and filled their glasses for them.

"He was wonderful, Pa. The defense attorney was badgering him and he didn't get frustrated or anything. And then finally the prosecutor objected and the judge agreed with him, so she forced the defense to let Jonathan speak".

Jennifer held up her glass.

"To long-overdue justice".

"I'll drink to that".

They all clinked glasses and then took a sip.

"Sweetheart, why were you testifying?"

"That was a surprise to me too. I think it was because I was present when Jonathan made the statement to the priest that got the investigation started. And the defense attorney was alleging that he and I attacked the defendants, which we didn't do, so I was able to testify to that as well".

The waitress came and took their orders.

"Well, I know you are glad that's behind you, son. I know I would be".

"Yes, very much so. I called the prosecutor last week and asked if he could see if the judge would ban the tv cameras and close the courtroom to the media. She granted the no cameras, but did order that the media refrain from naming any witnesses. So, knowing that I won't end up in the press has really made me feel better about the whole thing".

"I bet."

"I'm also glad to know that the orphans who live there now will not be subject to their abuse any longer."

"Yes, that's the best possible outcome".

"Jonathan's been very charitable, Pa. He paid for the orphanage to get a new roof, new beds for the kids".

"How incredibly kind of you, son".

"Least I can do sir. Father O'Rourke and Sister Sara Jane aside, without the orphanage, I wouldn't be here now".

The waitress brought their meals and then Stephen turned to Jennifer.

"So, where are you in the wedding planning?"

"Well, it's all planned. But we postponed it because of the trial. So, now we are going to pick a date and then start booking everything".

"I tried to convince her to marry me tomorrow, but she says not without you walking her down the aisle".

"Good girl. And I'll be back from London at the end of August, sweetheart, and I'll be in town for 4 months."

"Noted. We are thinking a beach wedding. I found a venue where the boardwalk extends all the way down to the packed sand, so nobody has to walk through loose sand. And I think we will have everyone in the wedding be barefoot, or wear flip flops. And the men are going to wear khakis and white dress shirts with the sleeves rolled up, no tie".

"Even the father of the groom?"

"Even you, Pa. I want everyone to match".

"Where will the reception be?"

"Inside the venue".

"Well, it's a good thing I ran into you. I was going to mail this to you tomorrow before I left. Your mother and I started a wedding fund when you were just a baby. And she had also earmarked some of her own money for you for things like your first car and your first house. I just lumped it all together into one account. You should have enough money in here to have the wedding of your dreams".

"Thank you, Pa".

She opened the bank book and saw the amount, and showed it to Jonathan.

"That's very generous of you, sir. We appreciate it".

Jonathan picked up the check, and then they walked out.

"Well, sweetheart, I'm off to my hotel. It was great seeing you. I'm sure we'll be in touch."

"It was great to see you too, Pa. Have a safe flight. Jonathan and I are taking a trip in a couple days, so I'll give you a call when we get back".

"Very well. Jonathan, always a pleasure, son. Hope you two enjoy your trip".

"Thanks, Pa".

After he was in a cab and the cab had driven away, Jonathan took Jennifer's hand and led her down the street.

"Where are we going?"

"Darling, you look like a woman who's in need of a little romance".

"You know me so well".

They stopped at a horse-drawn carriage, and she got so excited. He helped her up into the carriage and then climbed up after her. It was lit up, and there was a blanket for them to wrap around themselves.

She leaned against him and laced her fingers through his as they rode along through the city.

She noticed he kept taking deep breaths.

"Darling, are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Why?"

"You sure are breathing heavily".

"Darling, this is going to seem silly. But standing in the courtroom today, I saw two people who literally lost everything. They no longer own anything at all, really. And I promised myself that moving forward, I wanted to find the postives in each and every day, and not take anything for granted, or anyone. And it occurred to me, I can do even the most simple things and they cannot, like taking a breath of fresh air. So, I decided to enjoy it".

"That's not silly at all. I'm not a mean spirited person, but they deserve whatever horrible things come to them, in tenfold".

"Yes, they absolutely do".

"And now, we have nothing but happiness to look forward to. Getting married, being newlyweds, the whole bit".

"As long as I have you by my side, the happy part will be the easiest".

"Aww". She leaned over and kissed him.

After their carriage ride was over, they climbed down and headed into their hotel.

"Darling, is there anything special in San Francisco you want to do tomorrow?"

"Not that I can think of".

"So, what if I called Jack and had him fly us home, and then we can start packing and planning the other trip?"

"Sounds good to me".

They climbed into bed and Jonathan reached over and called Jack.

She started teasing him while they were talking, and he was going crazy and loving it all at the same time.

He got off the phone as soon as he could, and then made love to her for a few hours before they fell asleep.

For the first time in a long time, he felt like a completely normal human being.

***The Next Day***

Jennifer and Jonathan flew home in the morning and arrived just after lunch. They stopped and picked up lunch from one of Jennifer's favorite restaurants and then headed home.

"Darling, what do you think about having everyone over tonight?"

"You mean a dinner party?"

"Not really, just snacks and hanging out".

"I'm ok with it. Max, if I make a grocery list, can you head to the store?"

"Certainly".

Jonathan called everyone and they all said they were coming, so Jennifer quickly wrote down her list.

After they finished eating, she cleaned up the kitchen and then started getting things ready to make several appetizers.

She quickly threw together a pickle wrap dip, and then started on an artichoke bomb. Jonathan helped her make meatballs for meatball subs on a stick, while Max defrosted some of his marinara sauce for dipping. She made two more appetizers and then they made room for all of it in the fridge.

They quickly unpacked and started laundry, and then straightened up the living room some.

Jonathan went and got some games out of the closet just in case they decided to play some.

Everyone arrived around 6 and they all enjoyed sitting around and talking. Jennifer's appetizers were a hit, and everyone kept asking her for the recipes.

"What's in this pickle dip?"

"Cream cheese, sour cream, dried beef and diced pickles".

"It's amazing".

"Thank you".

"Jennifer, how about lunch next week?"

"Thanks, but Jonathan and I are going to be out of town".

"Oh? Where are you going?"

"Turks and Caicos".

"Oh, you'll love it! I would go there every year if I could".

"How's the wedding planning coming?"

"It's pretty much planned. It's just not booked".

Everyone stayed till almost 11, and then headed home.

Jonathan and Jennifer headed to bed.

"See you in the morning, Max".

"Night you two".

She changed into a nightgown and then started putting on lotion. He noticed that she was struggling to get it rubbed in on her back, so he walked over and started rubbing it for her.

"Oh, yeah. That feels wonderful".

They climbed into bed and she scooted over to sleep right next to him.

"Darling, did you notice that Bill has a new girlfriend every time we see him?"

"That's Bill. Ever since his divorce, he refuses to settle down again".

"Is that what we are doing, settling down?"

"Well, I don't know that I would say that. I mean, you and I are choosing to be together. We aren't settling, we are making a choice".

"I agree with that".

She nestled onto his shoulder and they chatted about the wedding till she fell asleep in his arms.


	28. Chapter 28

***A Few Months Later***

Jennifer was nervous, ready to get things going. However, it was out of her hands. She had done everything she could, and now all that was left was to be patient and wait.

She and Susan and Laura were standing in a line, ready to go. Everything was perfect and flawless. For the first time in weeks, Jennifer felt a sense of calm come over her.

Her father approached.

"Sweetheart, you look radiant!"

He kissed her cheek.

"Thank you, Pa. You cleaned up pretty nice yourself".

"Your bridegroom is acting like a kid who ate too much candy. He can barely contain himself".

"I feel the same way".

Jennifer and Jonathan had exchanged wedding gifts the night before. He had gotten her a sterling silver compact, and had _In case you need help seeing how absolutely beautiful you are-JHJ_ engraved across the top, along with their wedding date.

She had gotten him a gold antique pocket watch, that had 3 faces. The first one was set to 9:22 a.m., the moment Jennifer saw Jonathan for the first time. The second one was set 7:04 p.m., the moment she said yes to his proposal. The third one was set in present time. She had written a note and included it with the gift.

 _Darling, at 9:22 a.m., I met you. And at 7:04 p.m., I said yes to spending the rest of my life with you. Now, let's spend the next 100 years spending time together. I love you, Jennifer._

She couldn't recall when she had last seen him so touched.

They hadn't spoken yet today. She was anxious to hear his voice, to look into his eyes.

The morning had been spent taking pictures and getting ready. Now it was time to get on with the rest of their lives.

She heard the music begin, and then suddenly, it was time to walk down the boardwalk aisle to the altar in the sand.

As soon as he saw her, his heart was in his throat.

She was absolutely breathtaking. Her hair was in curls, framing her face perfectly. Her dress was long, the most perfect shade of white, and had a beaded deep v-halter neckline. It was form fitting, and extremely flattering. She had chosen to wear white flip flops while she walked down the boardwalk. She had elected to go with a short veil that only covered her face.

Her bouquet was made of purple fox glove, pink cabbage roses, and white carnations.

Susan and Laura were wearing pink chiffon strapless dresses that had silver beaded across the top.

Jennifer and Stephen made their way to the end of the boardwalk, and they paused so Jennifer could kick her flip flops off before continuing.

She and Stephen made their way to where Jonathan and the minister were standing, in front of an altar filled with her wedding flowers.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today…"

Everything moved so fast.

Her dad gave her to Jonathan, and then suddenly, it was time for them to speak.

Max and Bill were his best men and they were standing there next to him with the biggest smiles on their faces.

"Ok, Jonathan and Jennifer have elected to say their own vows. Jonathan, whenever you're ready".

Jennifer turned and gave her flowers to Susan, and then Jonathan took her hands.

"As Max would say, we have to play the cards we are given. I wasn't given the best hand, I wasn't even given a good hand. Some days, it felt like I had 10 cards in my hand and they were all Old Maid cards. But I ducked my head down, did what I had to do in order to survive and I came out on the other side. And when I met you, I was broken. I was so busy trying to hold the big pieces together that I didn't notice the little ones were falling out. They say that when you meet the one, you know it, because your life changes forever. Baby, you didn't just change my life, you saved my life. When Max took me in, he managed to tape me back together. When I met you, you were the glue I was missing. I could spend the rest of my life making your dreams come true and taking you wherever you want to go, and picking up your favorite chicken taco salad, and giving you backrubs and goodbye kisses and hello hugs, and it would never be enough to thank you for saving me from myself. I love you more than I ever thought possible, and I swear to you, I'll never stop".

"Jennifer, when you're ready".

"I moved out here for a job. And in the span of one day, I not only found out that job wasn't a sure thing, but I got hired on at your company. I could have sworn that working for you would be the sure thing. Instead, you and I were. You make me feel safe, and happy, and loved. You never hesitate to tell me I'm beautiful, or that you love me. I loved the man you showed me when we first starting dating. But I love the man you've revealed yourself to be since then even more. I am ecstatic to know that your face is the one I'll see every morning, and every night, and if I can tear you away from the office, in the moments in between. I can't believe I am lucky enough to get to travel the world with you and dance with you and kiss you and give you back scratches. I promise you that 100 years from now, when you and I are in the nursing home in our recliners, holding hands, I will still choose you".

"Jonathan and Jennifer will now exchange rings".

Max pulled the rings out of his pocket and handed them to the minister.

"Jonathan, place Jennifer's ring on the third finger of her left hand and repeat after me: I give you this ring, like I give you my heart, as a symbol of my love and faithfulness".

"I give you this ring like I give you my heart, as a symbol of my love and faithfulness".

He slid the thin diamond band onto her finger and then moved her engagement ring from her other hand to that finger.

"Jennifer, repeat after me as you put this ring on his third finger of his left hand: I give you this ring like I give you my heart as a symbol of my love and faithfulness".

"I give you this ring like I give you my heart, as a symbol of my love and faithfulness".

She slid the ring on his finger. His ring was platinum, with a solid edge.

"By the powers vested in me by the State of California, I hereby pronounce you husband and wife. Jonathan, you may kiss your bride".

He flipped her veil backwards and then she grabbed his face while he kissed her. They kissed for a full minute, and it was beyond obvious to everyone watching how in love they were.

Susan handed Jennifer her flowers back, as Jonathan and Jennifer turned back to the crowd.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, please join us inside the Beach Club for a reception. I present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Hart".

Everyone clapped as they made their way back up the boardwalk, and into the beach club.

Jennifer couldn't remember when she had ever felt so happy.

She put on some white ballet shoes when they got inside, and they started taking pictures.

For the next two hours, they did the traditional wedding reception things-champagne toasts, cutting the cake, tossing the bouquet.

Jennifer had found a baker that could give her a sequin cake. She had decided on a 3 tier, square cake with edible silver sequins. Their topper was a husband and wife, and he was dipping her and kissing her.

They danced, they ate, they talked with their guests. Before they knew it, it was time to head to their wedding night destination.

They were staying in a little inn in Napa Valley, and then flying to Seattle the next day to head to Thailand.

At the end of the night, everyone tossed rosemary on them as they made their way to the limo.

Jonathan popped a bottle of champagne in the limo and carefully poured them each a glass.

"Happy wedding night, Mrs. Hart".

"I love the sound of that. Happy wedding night, Mr. Hart".

***Four months later***

Jonathan and Jennifer were miserable. He had been battling the flu, and she had been battling a stomach bug. She had quarantined herself in the guest room for the past two days and they hadn't seen or spoke with each other at all.

Jonathan was finally feeling well enough to head back to the office.

He yelled to her that he loved her outside the guest room door, and to call him if she needed anything.

She called back that she loved him and she would see him tonight.

On his way to the office, he called Susan.

"Hello?"

"Hey, it's Jonathan. How much do you charge for house calls?"

"For you, not a cent. What's going on?"

"Well, I've had the flu for the past 4 days, but Jennifer had a stomach bug. And I'm worried that she's not getting better".

"Well, I tell you what. I'll head over and check her out and then give you a call".

"Ok, thank you".

An hour later, she called and left a message that Jennifer was going to be fine and that she had written her a couple of prescriptions.

She was on the couch when he got home. He leaned down and kissed her, and then went to change clothes.

He came back to sit with her.

"How are you feeling?"

"Better. How are you feeling?"

"Better, but not great".

"Was Susan able to tell you how long this stomach bug is going to last?"

"Yes. She cleared me to come back to our room, starting tonight".

"Wonderful".

She snuggled up to him and he held her for a few minutes.

Max came and told them dinner was ready.

"What are we having Max?"

"Miss Edwards picked everything tonight, Mr. H."

"Wow, you must be feeling better if you were able to pick dinner".

"We are having baby corn on the cob, baby shrimp, baby back ribs, and baby red potatoes".

She was hoping he would pick up on the theme, but he didn't.

"Darling, I called Deanne today and had her move your vacation. We aren't going to be able to go out of town in May or June anymore".

"But I thought you wanted to go to Ireland and Scotland".

"I did. I do. But we can't go then, we'll have to go another time".

"Well as soon as we can plan another trip we will".

"Can you maybe take a half day one day next week?"

"Yeah, but why?"

"Well, I'm going to find a decorator. I want to redo the bedroom across the hall from ours".

"Jennifer, we just had that room painted, right before the wedding".

"I realize that".

"Why do you want to change it?"

"Darling, I swear, sometimes you are totally oblivious. Think about it. I've been sick to my stomach for two straight days. I tell you I want to redo the guest room. I tell you we can't go on the trip we planned last month, and I have Max make us baby corn, baby shrimp, baby back ribs and baby red potatoes for dinner. The common denominator here is baby, Jonathan. I didn't have the flu or a stomach bug, I'm pregnant".

His mouth dropped open.

"You mean it? I'm going to be a daddy?"

She nodded.

He pulled her to her feet and kissed her and then picked her up and swung her around.

"Jonathan, be careful. The baby…"

"Right. I'm sorry".

He set her down and kissed her again.

"Max, we're having a baby!"

"That's wonderful! You two will be the best parents".

He pulled her hands to his chest.

"Tell me everything".

"Well, a few weeks ago I noticed I was more tired than normal and my appetite was a little off. So I made an appointment with Susan, and she confirmed that I was pregnant. And then I was trying to figure out a cute way to tell you. But I wanted to make sure it was going to be ok, and not a repeat of last time".

Only Susan and Max were aware that Jennifer had miscarried in the months after their wedding.

"How far along are we?"

"We are 12 weeks today. She gave me the blood test two weeks ago, and brought the results today."

"And?"

"And everything is completely normal. She gave me some prescriptions for the nausea and morning sickness, and a copy of a pregnancy book to read up on".

"Let's read it after dinner".

She smiled at him.

"Ok".

"Did she tell you anything else?"

"Not exactly. But something she said has made me question something all day".

"What's that?"

"Whether I want us to go with Jonathan Charles Hart Jr., or Jonathan Christopher Hart for the name".

"You mean it's a boy?"

She nodded.

He leaned forward and kissed her and then dropped to his knees and started talking to her stomach.

"Hey buddy, this is your daddy. We are going to have so much fun, you and me. And Mommy too, but really, you and me. We are going to go fishing and to Lakers' games and to see the Rams play, and we'll eat chocolate ice cream and get it all over our face, and use our sleeve as a napkin and we'll wrestle and tackle each other, and on the night before you start school, I'll give you a mohawk".

"Jonathan! I want our son to be a gentleman, not a biker boy".

"And we'll give mommy kisses and hugs and loves every single day, buddy. That's not negotiable".

"Mommy's looking forward to that".

They finished dinner, although Jonathan had a hard time concentrating.

As soon as she was finished, she started gathering their plates so she could do the dishes.

"Thanks for cooking dinner, Max. I'll clean up".

"No, no. You don't need to be on your feet that long, darling".

"Jonathan, I'm fine".

"Darling, you're with child. We can't expose him to the high temperatures of the hot water just yet. It could be detrimental".

"You're insane".

"I'll do the dishes, while you go relax".

"It's a deal".

She kissed him a few times, and then started to head to the living room.

He picked her up and carried her to the couch and set her down.

"Put your feet up. I'll be back in a little bit".

 _It's going to be a long 7 months_.

***Six and a half months later***

"Come on darling, one more. He's almost here."

He held her hand while she gave a final push, and then the sweetest sound they had ever heard filled the room.

"Your son is beautiful, Jennifer. He's big and long, and healthy".

She couldn't stop the tears from flowing down her face.

Jensen Christopher Hart weighed in at 7 pounds, 4 ounces, and was 23 ¾ inches long. He had dark hair like his daddy, and he had his mother's nose. He was perfect, in every way.

The nurse got him cleaned off and then brought him to Jennifer and they put him on her chest.

"Hi little man….it's me, momma".

"And I'm your daddy, buddy. We are so happy to meet you".

Jonathan kissed Jennifer then, and then the nurse had him take the baby so they could get Jennifer cleaned up.

As soon as they were in their room and settled, her dad and Max came in.

"Hi! I'm glad you two made it".

"Who do we have here?"

"This is Mr. Jensen Christopher Hart. Jensen, this is grandpa Max and grandpa Stephen".

"Grandpa? No thanks. I'm Poppy".

"Whatever you want, Pa".

"And I'm Dandy".

"Dandy?"

"Yeah, Dandy".

"Whatever you want, Max".

Jensen started to cry, so Jonathan handed her one of the bottles the nurses had left, and she fed it to him.

He took it like a champ, and then drifted off to sleep.

"Darling, do you feel alright?"

"I'm fine, honey."

She did skin to skin with the baby while they visited with her dad and Max.

"So, from beginning to end, how long did it take, sweetheart?"

"Well, Jonathan and I were watching tv after dinner last night. And then I headed upstairs to put on my pajamas and my water broke. I guess that was about 8 p.m. We got here at 8:30, and he was born just after 7 this morning. So, almost 12 hours, I guess".

"That's about how long it took when you were born".

Jonathan volunteered to go get them all something to eat, and Stephen declared he was going to head back to the hotel.

"Bye little guy. Be a good boy for your momma, alright?"

He kissed Jennifer on the head.

"Bye sweetheart. I'll see you later this afternoon".

Max volunteered to drive him.

"See you later Mrs. H. Bye buddy".

Jennifer and Jensen were alone with their thoughts.

Susan came in and checked on Jennifer and the baby.

"Hi, how are you feeling?"

"Good, actually."

"Good, good. Has he eaten yet?"

"Yes, I gave him this bottle". She handed it to her.

"He ate the whole thing? Good for you, little buddy".

"So far, he's the best baby. He ate like a champ and fell asleep like a champ".

"Hopefully, he'll keep that up".

"Ok, so I want to see him in two weeks. I want to see you in 4, unless you have a problem between now and then. No sex till at least then. If you get sad or depressed, I want you to call me right away. Postpartum isn't anything to play around with. And I want you to listen to your body. Right now, all he needs you to do is eat and sleep and shower, so you can take care of him. A good schedule to get him on is a bottle in the morning, followed by a nap or time on the floor to kick and stretch. When he naps in the afternoon, you nap. When he goes to sleep at 7 or 8 at night, stay up till his next bottle, and then sleep after you give it to him. Try and take him outside for a little bit each day, that will help him regulate his days and nights."

Jennifer nodded.

"Listen to him, he will tell you what he needs".

"How soon can we go home?"

"He needs to pass the car seat test, and I want you to get at least one good night's sleep, so probably day after tomorrow. Send him to the nursery tonight, so you can rest".

"Thank you".

Jonathan came back with their food, so she swaddled him and they put him in his bassinette. Susan ordered a bed for Jonathan, so that he could stay with her.

She relayed everything Susan had said while they ate, and then they took a nap.

Just before she drifted off to sleep, he leaned over and kissed her.

"I love you, Mommy".

"I love you, Daddy".

And they lived happily ever after….


End file.
